Tasted in Meursault the 06 November 2018, with Claudine Gaunoux and Jean-Pierre Tournier.

Domaine François Gaunoux / Château Gaunoux
23 Rue du 11 Novembre
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 22 40
www.gaunoux.com (flash)

Jean-Pierre and Claudine on 2018:
“In 2018 we started our harvest on 04 September. We did all the whites to start with – we always harvest quite late which means that there’s no lack of parking-space in the vines! And were very happy with the grapes, it wasn’t a ridiculous volume, actually less in red than in 2017. It’s a great vintage for reds I think – we had 14.7° in Grands Epenots. I think a complete vintage – 09-plus for the reds and 1949 or 1964 could be equivalent vintages, at least based on how those wines from here continue to show… In our Meix Chavaux we have some 100-year-old vines but they really produced in 2018 – we can’t control nature!”
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Jean-Pierre and Claudine on 2017:
“2017 – it’s a good vintage, more classic for reds, perhaps 2008 to compare, good to drink but not in the same profile as 2018. The whites are a little standardised but have a good quality behind them. I think people will really enjoy them but I hope that they don’t forget them to concentrate on 2018s. There were plenty of grapes, but people forget that 1959 was almost a double vintage but were never diluted, 1982 was similar in quantity, but there were some dilute wines in that vintage. I don’t think that the whites will open before 2020-2021.”
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The wines…

Always have to recalibrate how you taste here but it’s eye-opening… the last drips in the glass are always beautifully aromatic. My experience is that 5-year-old bottles – red and white – are better every day after opening for up to 4-5 days.

Planning to bottle all the whites in March.

2017 Meursault Clos Meix Chavaux
A 5 hectare south-east facing plot
An attractive lemon yellow colour. Hmm, a vibrancy of aroma, with a very modest reductive accent. Big, fresh, some gas, but really impressive depth of slightly metallic mid-palate flavour – long, impressively so – I don’t find reduction in the flavour. Super but very young in comparison to most domaines!​

2017 Meursault Clos de Tavaux
1ha monopole next-door to the domaine – 50 year-old vines
Yellow colour, wide, slightly richer than the Meix, though fresh, a faintly spiced aroma – very nice. Gas, but yellower fruit, frank, fresh, concentrated, almost a hint of tannin to the texture – a hint phenolic – longer, more persistent finishing – yum!​

2017 Meursault 1er Gouttes d’Or
A deeper, less wide, concentrated ripe yellow citrus nose. Gassy, bigger volume, more textured but very fresh. Intense, more than the last. This is super impressive wine!
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Les rouges:

2017 Beaune 1er Clos des Mouches
From 2 parcels at the bottom near Boucherottes.
Not a big colour. A pretty and fine precision of berries – very attractive. Some gas, open, energetic, growing intensity, fine clarity – a small vibration of long finishing flavour – and like the whites very persistent. Really super!​

2017 Volnay 1er Clos des Chênes
2 parcels again
Much more colour. A faint spice and a tighter but more profound depth. Mouth-filling volume, waves of intensity, vibrant again – no lack of concentration. Excellent – super finishing too, with faint bitters. Yum!​

2017 Pommard 1er Les Epenots
Also two parcels of vines between 50-100 years-old
A little less colour. Fresh, starts a hint lactic then gone – tightening, more focus – fine berries – keeps getting better. Volume, energy, complexity, fine, almost airy, but it just holds and holds, sooo long…​

2017 Pommard 1er Grands Epenots
Starts a little tight but begins to open with beautiful, pure berries. Much more volume, and extra depth of tannin but no grain, then vibrant, intense and concentrated in the finish. Less finishing volume but not shorter – super wine.