Few educated wine lovers will dispute that the rolling hills of Burgundy produce the finest and most diversely thrilling expressions of Chardonnay on earth. For each of the region’s top sites, there is a corresponding terroir character—the crystalline purity of Grand Cru Chablis; the regal and broad-shouldered luxury of top Puligny-Montrachet; or the brooding complexity of mature Corton-Charlemagne. And let’s not forget about Meursault—this famed village’s best whites are the epitome of texture and opulence. Great Meursault wraps your palate in layers of creamy richness, soft and round acidity, and perfectly ripe, lime blossom fruit with hints of hazelnut. And when it comes to choosing this small village’s one superior vineyard site, there is little question that “Perrières” takes the cake. 

One of my heroes, Clive Coates MW, isn’t being strident when he says, flatly, that Meursault Perrières is a Premier Cru that  “most people would agree produces Meursault's best wine.” Wedged between famed neighboring Premier Cru Meursault “Charmes” and the northern border of Puligny-Montrachet, the shallow and limestone-rich Perrières is known for producing Meursault of unparalleled precision and structure. It’s no surprise, then, that this site is home to some of Burgundy’s greatest names and highest-priced whites. Whether it’s Coche-Dury or Roulot (currently retailing for $2,000 and $900 per bottle, respectively), Meursault Perrières always seems to sit one step above it’s slightly softer, less sophisticated neighbors.

Francois and Vincent Bitouzet’s family have been living and working vines in Meursault for hundreds of years and today, they hold what is probably the village’s single most diverse and impressive collection of real estate. The Bitouzets farm their narrow, piano key-shaped slice of Meursault Perrières with the same zero compromise approach as all their sites in the village: organically, with zero chemical herbicides or pesticides. All fruit is farmed and harvested by hand. This restraint and patience is echoed in the cellar where juice is vinified gently and slowly with modest sulfites and zero effort to expedite or simplify the process. The end goal is to produce a quintessential and classically styled expression of Perrières that matures in the cellar for years while gradually deepening in aromatics and complexity. In a region increasingly overrun with labels bottling young, forward, “modern” white Burgundy, the Bitouzet family are arch traditionalists. The family’s wines are seldom open and enjoyable upon release—so leave the cork in any 2015 Bitouzet whites you encounter on your next trip to France—but rest assured that after even a few years, these wines offer a memorable reward to those patient enough to cellar them.

Bitouzet Prieur’s 2013 Meursault Perrières 1er Cru offers a classic, regal demonstration of Meursault terroir. The palate is a wall of dense yellow apple, asian pear, and lime blossom fruit coating a firm and flinty mineral core. Raw almond and lightly toasted hazelnuts meet white flowers and citrus blossoms to fill out this bottle’s perfectly fine tuned nose. This is a fascinating and slow gestating wine so I urge you to drink it slowly. I enjoyed my most recent bottle over three consecutive evenings and my experience was that it became noticeably more expressive and nuanced with each passing night. I’ll reiterate that this bottle is built for aging and has at least another 5-7 years of peak drinking. If enjoying in the near term, I recommend decanting for one hour prior to serving one or two glasses in oversized Burgundy stems at 55-60 degrees (before reserving the remaining wine for nights two and three!). This is a complex and layered wine so I encourage you to prepare a simple and to-the-point meal to accompany it. Sip today’s outstanding Meursault while slowly bringing to life this delicious recipe of poached cod with potatoes and leeks. It’s a perfect combination. Cheers!