Tasted in Meursault with Anne Morey, 05 November 2016.
Domaine Pierre Morey
13 Rue Pierre Mouchoux
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 21 03
www.morey-meursault.fr
Pierre Morey is now theoretically retired – so of-course you won’t see him driving the forklift! Anne is at the helm of this 11 hectare family domaine. The domaine’s vines were farmed organically since 1993 and under biodynamics since 1998.
Anne Morey on 2016:
“2016 was a nightmare, but now that its finished, I can say that it finished quite well. I think we ended up with a great quality for both colours – so far I remain very positive. Low or medium volumes, of-course, nothing better, but with fine analyses but more importantly they taste too good to be annoyed. Definitely we had a low morale in July, despite a spectacular regeneration after the frost – but that was the leaves and not so much grapes of-course. ”
Anne Morey on 2015:
“Well, to start with, 2015 has a good material. Compared to other recent vintages it was quite an easy year! Because of the dryness, some leaves struggled and fell – mainly in stony areas where the sun reflected, so there was some thirst, but the grapes got through that quite well. As said, it was easy compared to many recent vintages – indeed we were quite passive compared to many of those vintages. Not explosive yields but the best for a few years. We had quite an early harvest starting at the beginning of September. Is freshness the right word? – The wines are not rich but they are croquant. 2015 has other things vs 2005, there’s fire like 2005, but here is an internal fire, it’s not a dry fire…”
The wines…
Well, we start with a first-class set of reds, and simply hold a super quality as we move onwards…
Note, apart from the aligoté, nothing is bottled here. The whites are racked and ready for their second winter in the cellar.
2015 Bourgogne Rouge
From the Meursault area, like all the regional wines here, multiple parcels, averaging age about 40 years-old.
A fine and ripe dark fruit, almost tending towards blue fruit. Large, lovely volume and texture. A fine burst of flavour fresh and lip-smacking. There’s density here and a very, very tasty wine.
Normally 8 parcels in 6 lieu dits but here 7 from 6, with various soil types and exposures, all assembled of-course.
A beautiful nose, floral, fresh but still of ripe fruit. A silkiness to the aromatic. Complex, generous and fresh at the same time – simply gorgeous wine – bravo! A super finish too, here for the first time you might note a faint texture of tannin.
2015 Monthelie 1er Les Clous
Also floral, deeper too, slightly narrower. A little whole cluster here. More complexity, a hint more structure and muscle. Fine bubbly complexity. Also really excellent wine and it will need a hint more time, but super all the same.
2015 Volnay 1er Santenots
From Les Plures near the vines of the Hospices. ‘2.5 barrels, one was new and it’s quite obvious at the moment, but Santenots is the most powerful, so I’m hoping it will fade.’
Big, fresh and spicy, large scaled but not rich – intense mid-palate flavour, if a hint more oak here. A broad and impressive line of flavour going into the finish – what a great set of reds!
From Grands Epenots. These are long rows, the fourth producer direction Pommard after the Clos – maybe 30 metres away from the Clos des Epeneaux.
Les spicy, tighter but very fine and slowly growing fresh aromas. Large volume, lots of mouth-watering fruit and pretty gorgeousness. Wow wine – not the most massive of energy, but an ingraining quality – just gorgeous stuff.
The whites…
2015 Bourgogne Aligoté
Average 50 year-old vines, bottled just before the harvest. A small part of this was elevaged in barrel.
A golden impression, to the nose. Fresh, mineral and with a very nice silky texture. Really very mineral and quite interesting – citrus acidity. Yum!
2015 St.Aubin 1er Cru (Morey-Blanc)
Most of the Morey-Blanc wines have just been racked, so this is the only one being shown. This vintage only from Sur Gamay, normally a blend of 2 1ers, but Anne won’t change the label for a single year.
A hint of oak at the base of a very fine freshness. Lovely fresh complexity and quite some volume too – here is plenty of mid-palate oak flavour (not texture) but it’s still a lovely finish.
Weight of aroma, floral and fresh – very inviting. Classic Meursault palate, slightly spiced and warming but with a good level of acidity. Yet its only bourgogne – or the label anyway. Bravo!
2015 Meursault
Three parcels, Forges, Chaumes de Narvaux high on the hill. This area was certainly planted pre phylloxera, and the last Pellans.
More depth, some ripe yellow fruit, faint spice. Supple, some richness, an acidity slowly grows and adds energy – it’s not there at the start, but it finishes in a super way. Lovely wine…
Anne laughs at the name of the climat, ‘It’s near Gouttes d’Or, it’s really brown soil here – but maybe the rock below is white!’
A faint high-toned smoke, but also a spiced bread component. Hmm, layers, indeed waves of flavour. Beautiful Meursault flavour. Wide and comforting – just generous, gorgeous flavour – whatever the soil colour!
2015 Meursault Les Tessons
More green citrus fruit here – clearly a cooler climat vs the last. Fresh, energetic, a little encompassing richness but bright. Just a lovely finish too.
2015 Meursault 1er Perrières
A freshness and clear minerality – this pulls me in! High and low tones, only slowly widening. Really a super weight but not weighty, long, fine textured, but classic Meursault flavour. Excellent!
Vines located on the Puligny side in the Clos Poirier. Poirier was the name of the family who owned the vines. Mr Poirier was the technical director of a Champagne house, and he offered the exploitation of the vines (/including Pommard Epenots) to Anne’s grandfather – who at-first refused – as the vines were a little far away!. Pierre was involved in the replanting of the vines in 1964 but was considered too young (a teenager), so only half of the vineyard went to him.
A vibrant and mineral nose. Also in the mouth this is about mineral width and a faint cushioning of fruit. Just slow-moving waves of beautiful flavour. Again a contemplative wine – but what wine to contemplate – bravo!