Meursault, situated just north of Puligny-Montrachet and south of Volnay in Burgundy’s snaking slopes that comprises the Côte de Beaune, is the source of some of the finest Chardonnay in the world. This wine is plucked from the lieu-dit vineyard of “Les Tillets,” which is a stone’s throw upslope from the famed Premier Crus. Expertly crafted by Jomain Frères, this favored site delivers all the crisp freshness and distinct minerality of upslope examples with the density and concentration of its neighbors to the south. A stunning wine that delivers all the character of a beautiful Premier Cru, the price-to-quality for this wine makes it an opportunity you do not want to miss.
The Jomain family has been crafting world-class wine from the Côte de Beaune since their vigneron father, Marc Jomain, passed away in 1992. Winemaker, Christophe Jomain, is focused on a pure expression of terroir and practices minimal intervention and restrained use of oak, at 25% or less new French oak, which lends a purity of fruit and a transparent representation of Chardonnay that is simply stunning. The wine undergoes extensive bâtonnage of lees during malolactic fermentation then is racked, fined and returned to barrel. The wine is then bottled with little to no filtration. The resulting wine drinks far above its price point and is destined for even further greatness in the years ahead.
I want to start off by saying that this is not a wine to pop and pour for guests upon their arrival. This wine is very young and needs abundant air to convey the depth and character it has to offer. The 2014 Les Tillets displays a classic pale golden straw core with hints of green on the rim. The floral, delicate and mineral-driven nose exudes classic, fine Meursault with aromas of Bosc pear, yellow apple core and lemon peel over secondary notes of acacia blooms, stirred lees, honeycomb, slight baking spices of vanilla and nuanced toasted oak as well as crushed limestone minerality. After sufficient air, this wine fills out in texture and evolves into a beautiful expression of Meursault with heavenly creaminess, freshness, and a distinct mineral complexity. Focused tension integrated into perfect flavors of white flowers, crushed limestone, yellow apple and a touch of kaffir lime evolves from notes reminiscent of the palate and cascades into a long, thirst-quenching finish that lingers through the night. This is a vintage that is built to last although it is a stunner now. If you can forget this wine for 3-4 years in your cellar, you will uncover something magical down the road. If you want to drink a bottle young, and you should, this wine needs a mandatory 2-3 hours in a decanter. If you pull the cork the day before and leave it in the cellar before drinking, you will discover a whole other glass of wine with 20-30% more texture. Whatever your preference, this wine shows at its best at 55-60 degrees in Burgundy stems and will shine brightly along this
poached halibut in shiitake soy broth.