Tasted with Pierre Meurgey at the Château de Bligny, 15 June 2022.
Maison Pierre Meurgey-Croses
Château de Bligny
14 Grande rue
21200 Bligny-lès-Beaune
Tel. +33 98 18 32 9 04
www.pierremeurgey.com
More reports on Meurgey-Croses.
Pierre on 2020:
“The real diffculty was to be ready in time for the harvest – it will probably be the same this year. It was a clean vintage – which we like – just a little rain the weekend before the harvest – which added a hint of freshness I think, I found the grapes more ‘alive’ not the slightly shrivelled direction of raisins like we had seen in 18 and 19. The hardest thing was also to choose the right time to harvest, some areas already had 13° but the grapes were not that seductive and the pips and stems were still quite green – yet the skins were clearly ripe. I chose to wait for a little and I think I was lucky and the grapes had more energy. Clearly earlier harvesting seems to be the current direction but we have to be careful not to end up being too early and make wines lacking charm – we can have concentration but still be too early for charm. I’m also not that comfortable with 100% whole cluster and certainly not in these early vintages. ”
The wines…
I’m late to taste and Pierre doesn’t have many bottles left – but this is a fine selection – a couple of wines that are worth a special search too. Very consistent high quality in the last years.
All the reds were bottled in mid-February, the whites in mid-December after racking in August. There are the normal range of Mâcons but there isn’t one bottle that remains at the domaine. The Mâcons are, as usual, bottled with DIAM and it’s still cork for the Pernands and the reds…
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Balliards
Organically certified (AB) grapes. From the bottom of Savigny.
Hmm – there is concentration in this cushioned width or fruit aroma. Mouth-filling, a certain attractiveness – shrinking into a direct line with more saline and mineral finishing flavour. Enjoy the first fruit now – wait for the middle and finishing flavours. A good wine…
2020 Volnay Les Echards
Next to Carelles in central Volnay on some deep soil – near Famines. Old vines with small grapes – harvested by Pierre’s team
A smaller nose to start but a really elegant and properly Volnay nose. Mouth-filling – quite a structural shape but there are no hard edges here. A width of absolutely delicious finishing flavour.
Part Beaune Cras and Vignes Franches. The fourth vintage, the first was as a VdF. A brand name that mixed the names of Pierre’s 3 children.
A more forward nose – really beautiful, inviting, fruit here – just a mm or two of cushioning – super clarity with air – yes! Mouth-filling, great clarity of flavour too – wide, a little structure but balanced by the juiciness of this fruit. Simply a great Beaune – bravo!
2020 Côte de Nuits Villages, Aux Montagne
Also certified organic grapes. Hillside vines on a very draining soil. Kept some of the whole clusters – always an early harvesting place.
More open, airy and lacking no aromatic impact – darker berry fruit. I didn’t spot it on the nose but here is a small reduction in the flavour – hence the darker fruit. Fine shape, concentrated but always fresh, rather than fat. Decant – it’s already excellent without – a very fine grain of finishing tannin.
2020 Nuits St.Georges Les Chaillots
Below Les St Georges – second vintage here – from vines over 50 years old.
Hmm, almost a candied fruit aspect to this aroma – but perfumed in the best sense – it’s a lovely invitation. Mouth-filling, fluid, plenty of tannin but the grain is almost invisible – just a suggestion of structure today – concentration, holding very long in the finish. This is a very fine villages – worthy of waiting at least 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoying for the next 10-20 – simply excellent.
2020 Pommard 1er Grands Epenots
All destemmed in this case.
A little swirling is required to lift the aromas from the glass – but beautiful aromas they are! Always such a classy wine from Pierre, this has a slightly more direct style, than the previous, still mouth-watering. Perhaps a hint behind the 2019 but no slouch either. Subtle but so long – waves of finishing flavour here. That’s excellent, just a little less demonstrative than the 2019 was at the same stage – maybe it will need a bit more time – but it’s still clearly an excellent GE.
Les Whites…
2020 Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc
A mix of various parcels.
That’s a very perfumed nose. Mouth-filling, obvious concentration with a certain generosity – the texture is beautiful. The finishing flavour broadening over the palate with an attractive saline kick too. Today, to keep the energy, I’d take this with a decent chill – but in 5-6 years I think it may be less necessary…
More south-east facing vines.
Here’s a nice width of aroma – vibrating with energy and an almost golden-edge to the fruit. Here is a little more structure and a lot more open energy – this tastes like a baby Charlemagne and I think it a really great Pernand.