Meursault has more than its share of high-wattage names: Coche-Dury, Roulot, and Comtes Lafon come to mind quickly, but there are many others—there’s arguably more flash here than in any other village in Burgundy. Prices tend to reflect this, of course, which only deepens my appreciation for the stalwart Domaine Michelot.
Over six generations, this family-run property has amassed a collection of Meursault vineyards that is second to none, including plots in the acclaimed
lieu-dit “Sous la Velle” that date to the 1930s. Today’s 2017 from Sous la Velle has everything Burgundy fiends love about Meursault—the texture and tension both—without the prohibitive price. This is luxury-level Burgundy Chardonnay, Premier Cru in quality if not in name, and it is so true to the classic character of Meursault that it should be brought out on a whistle-stop tour so everyone can experience true Meursault greatness without climbing well into three figures. When you consider the combination of vintage, vineyard, producer, and price on offer here, there’s no way you can pass it up—a better white Burgundy value would be near-impossible to find!
Whenever I encounter a Michelot wine (we’ve offered quite a few over the years), I know I’m going to get a master class in classic Meursault—the richly textured, more honeyed style the village has long been famous for, as opposed to the leaner, more “reductive” (oxygen-starved) style of Meursault that has become popular in recent years (I’m not advocating for one style over another—I like them both—but rather want to put this wine in its proper context). Michelot’s 80+-year-old vines in Sous la Velle are especially well-suited to producing opulent wines, as are the soils in the vineyard itself, which have a heavier clay component mixed with gravelly limestone.
Although the Michelot family’s winemaking history goes back much further, the estate’s modern era was ushered in by Bernard Michelot in the 1960s. Bernard was a popular figure in Meursault and helped grow the domaine into one of the largest
landholders in the village (23 hectares), eventually handing control over to his son-in-law, Jean-François Mestre, in 1993. Most experts credit Jean-François with steadily improving wines that were already benchmarks, and as with so many generational shifts in Burgundy, a lot of that had to do with a sharper eye for sustainability in the vineyards. Farming at the estate today is probably best described as
‘lutte raisonnée’, wherein organic practices are followed except in dire emergencies.
Vinification of white wines at Domaine Michelot is fairly consistent across some 15 different bottlings, 11 of which are Meursault (and four of which are Premier Cru). They undergo fermentation and malolactic fermentation in cask, followed by a year of aging in oak barrels, one-third of which are new. The wine goes through extended lees aging and bâtonnage (lees-stirring), which greatly contributes to the textured mouthfeel and incredible depth on the palate. Following 12 months in barrel, the wine spends an additional six months in climate-controlled stainless steel tanks.
The age of the vines from this special site, coupled with astute winemaking, consistently delivers a wine of immense concentration and character year after year. And so it is with this 2017: What a sumptuous, soul-stirring Burgundy Chardonnay! In the glass, it’s a bright yellow gold moving to straw and green at the rim, with concentrated (and classic Meursault) aromas of yellow apple, white peach, lemon blossoms, and lime zest layered with intricate notes of hazelnut crème, white mushroom, spun honey, white tea and vanilla bean. The near full-bodied palate deliver a round, slightly oily texture with flavors of beautifully concentrated yellow apple, citrus, and crushed oyster shells. Decant it about 30 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems and let it climb past 50 degrees as you enjoy it with some winter seafood, chicken, or pork. As delicious as it is right now, there’s no doubt it’s got positive evolution ahead of it, so no rush—then again, if you can afford it, why not stock up? This one will put a big smile on your face every time! Cheers!
