Producer: Domaine Moissenet-Bonnard
Wine: 2020 Meursault "Les Vireuils" - Certified HVE3
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Plots: Les Vireuils" comes from the Old French "virots", "vire", referring to plots hugging the curve of the slope. Its 50-year-old vines face south by south-east at an altitude of 300 metres. The plot overlooks the village of Meursault, giving us a 180° view of the white wine villages (Monthelie, Auxey-Duresses, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet).
Vinification: Grapes are harvested by hand and sorted; they are gently pressed with a pneumatic press; this is followed by a 36-hour clarification phase then barrelling in oak barrels (30% of which are new), where the alcoholic fermentation takes place. Ageing will takes 12 months, with stirring (batonnage) every 15 days for 5 months.
Tasting Notes: In its youth, notes of white flowers (acacia) and citrus fruits (lemons), and delicate minerality dominate this Meursault, gold with hints of green, giving it an agreeable freshness. On the palate it is full-bodied, persistent and balanced, with a finish of grilled almonds.
Food: Main dishes: Oven-baked or grilled herb marinated sea-bass, almond trout in béchamel sauce, langoustine fritters, rack of lamb with eggplant and potatoes, oven-baked capon, veal chop en papillote, pan-fried scallops, sole meunière.
Cheeses: mature Comté, Epoisses, Rocamadour, Saint Maur de Touraine.
Desserts: Pear crumble with hazelnuts, plum tart, and saffron panna cotta with cinnamon biscuits.
Cellaring: Drink now or cellar until 2030
DOMAINE MOISSENET-BONNARD
Pommard, Burgundy
Domaine Moissenet-Bonnard has been in the family for eight generations and was taken over by Jean-Louis Moissenet in 1987. In 2005, he extended the wine-growing estate to the Meursault and Auxey-Duresses appellations. The estate produces nine red wines, four white wines and a Crémant de Bourgogne. The vines are protected from pests and fungal diseases without the use of herbicides or pesticides, and are ploughed in order to obtain healthy vines that dig deep to extract the riches of the soil.
The estate went HVE (Environmentally High Value) in 2014. This certification valid for three years guarantees the methods practiced on the domaine follow strict guidelines for an environmentally friendly approach to viticulture. Focus is on biodiversity, strategic use of non-synthetic products and fertilizers as well as proper usage of water and protection of the water source. The grapes are hand picked, hand sorted, hand selected and then gently pressed pneumatically.
Meursault is a village appellation located in the Côte de Beaune region which includes 19 Premiers Cru Climats. The only producing commune is Meursault. On the label, the appellation Meursault and Meursault Premier Cru may be followed by the name of the Climat of origin.
The hard Comblanchian limestone which disappears deep underground around Nuits-Saint-Georges reappears here where, as one moves southward, red wines give way to whites. There are fee other places in the Côte de Beaune where the Chardonnay grape does better than it does here. Along the village streets are a succession of little houses belonging to the vineyard workers, mixed with more imposing dwellings. The stone work on the 53 meters-high church tower looks like it could be the work of fairies. The excellent soils were planted with vines by the monks of Cîteaux as early as 1098. A small amount of red wines is produced here, though whites definitely dominates. Meursault’s appellation of origin status dates back to 1937.
Meursault "Les Vireuils"
Les Vireuils comes from the Old French "virots", "vire", referring to plots hugging the curve of the slope. Its 40-year-old vines face south by south-east at an altitude of 300 meters. The plot overlooks the village of Meursault, giving us a 180° view of the white wine villages (Monthelie, Auxey-Duresses, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet). It is worked and ploughed to encourage root establishment, so as to draw on the mysteries and spirit of the terroir.
Grapes are harvested by hand and sorted; they are gently pressed with a pneumatic press; this is followed by a 36-hour clarification phase then barrelling in oak barrels (30% of which are new), where the alcoholic fermentation takes place. Ageing will takes 12 months, with stirring (batonnage) every 15 days for 5 months.
Information by: Burgundy Wines
