Tasted in Meursault with Patrick Essa, pictured in his favourite pose, 26 May 2023.
Domaine Buisson-Charles
3 Rue de la Velle
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 22 32
www.buisson-charles.com
More reports with Domaine Buisson-Charles
Patrick on 2021:
“In 2021, most of our pruning wasn’t done when the frost hit – that obviously saved us to an extent – the reds are practically looking normal – we lost plenty in the crus though and Meursault Cras was the worst but otherwise not so bad. But the 21s are all gone – near as dammit – but we still made 40k bottles – it’s usually 50k bottles here. Extra purchases helped us – very fortunately made just 3 weeks before the frost came!”
Patrick on 2022:
“I’m very happy – I worried about too high yields and after the frost of 21 – it’s always a possibility that the vines bounce back with a lot of yield – so with Louis we chose to do a severe debudding and it worked well though we still had 42 hl/ha. Triage is mainly in the vines but we have a vibrating table also at the domaine – I keep testing but I’m not yet convinced that it’s as good as doing everything in the vines. All the whites were approaching 13° or a hint more, and the reds half a degree more. We had nice, regular, red grapes in 2022 – I would say with a bit more volume than the whites. ”
The wines…
A little early to be pronouncing greatness on any 2022s – but……
Tasted from barrel:
2022 Bourgogne Rouge
A blend of grapes from the communes of Meursault and Puligny
Faintly spiced from some wc – darker red fruit with a fine invitation. Round, but of fine open scale, juicy, framed with a faint tannin – lots of sucrosity but balanced and long – very tasty wine properly structured – yum!
2022 Pommard Chiveau
On the hillside so fresher here. Planted in 1984 with grandfather
More impression of concentration and a faint accent of firework reduction. Again, a nice open volume of flavour. Less sucrosity – I prefer this – ‘yes we are a bit NE-facing here – it makes a difference.’ Super villages.
Mid slope, just above Cent Vignes.
A wild blast of generous but well-formed red fruit – a strong cherry accent to this and it’s lovely. A lithe, mobile, juicy wine – almost too fruity for its own good – a faint creamy accent towards the finish too – but a great Beaune – I’d drink it now (okay it won’t be bottled for months) or happily wait – it’s an easy choice. Vibrant, almost dynamic and pure wine. Bravo!
2022 Volnay 1er Santenots
The historic Pinot Fin of the domaine planted in the 1940s – there’s a second parcel here these days in Santenots du Milieu, too…
A rounder nose, less clarity today with a more creamy barrel note – the first harvested vines of 2022. You note the spice of the whole clusters and a broad range of flavours – still framed with some barrel notes. Keep this – maybe 5-10 years – the material is super – the finish is assuredly great!
2022 Chambertin
More open. Really a finesse rather than an aromatic impact. Super inner density, equally super texture – of velour – this finish is haunting – it’s a wine for keeping – it will just keep getting better and better.
Les Whites:
2022 Bourgogne Aligoté Hors Classe
They have chosen to reduce their yileds here to 35-40 hl/ha just like their 1er crus – finished at 12.7° after fermentation – we never add sugar… half tank elevage, half 350-litre barrels.
Narrow but deep – almost a suggestion of licorice in these aromas. Fine volume in the mouth, a hint of green citrus energy – direct, intense, still some sucrosity but holding a fabulous line in the finish…
2022 Bourgogne Chardonnay
A modest width but there’s material at the core of this wine. Hmm, I like the shape and texture of this – not fully expressive today but there are more of minerality, citrus and ginger – I think it has the potential – easily – to be excellent.
2022 Meursault Millerandes
Always ready to harvest at the same time as the 1ers… It’s an old-vine cuvée
Airy – a little white flower perfume in this width of aroma. Another wine of finesse but with a serious core of material – slowly mouth-watering with flavour over the palate – a wine that will surely take on more weight but the finesse is unquestioned here – as is the impressive reprise of finishing flavour when you’re not expecting it!
2022 Meursault Vieilles-Vignes
The first post-phyloxera vines of the domaie and some of the oldest in Meursault – not yet sulfured so ‘nature’ today.
A silky width of aroma but not very open today. Hmm, that’s wonderful in the mouth, broad, mineral, hyper-complex – almost juicy.
Vines planted at 13k per hectare – despite being old vines – just 0.25 ha. ‘These are old pants that mature quickly, and with less acidity than many, so always the first harvested, but retaining a good pH.
A faint reduction but covered with a floral perfume – more mineral at the base. Chiselled, mineral, but with a mm of cushioning – there are no hard edges here – than a broad, delicious wave of finishing flavour – I love!
Always the last harvested due to altitude, but not orientation
A smaller volume of aroma but with seamlessly floral perfume. Hmm – that’s a mineral wine – ‘tension’ – yes! That’s a beautifully mineral wine but more juicy than the Cras – top!
2022 Meursault 1er Gouttes d‘Or
‘Always the latest in elevage in the cellar…’
Yes, indeed a small reduction here – but opening with citrus skin and even a little orange zest. Open, clean, chiselled in style but still mouth-wateringly juicy. Modestly sweet finishing but beautifully finishing too – simply lovely wine…
‘Touching the bottom part of Genevrières – very stony here – so more Perrières in style than standard Charmes.’
The nose has interest but is a little compact. A hint of spritz but what a minerality – you would be forgiven for thinking Perrières – saline, mineral – super style of melting flavour over the palate. That’s a seriously great wine.