Today’s wine is not classified as Premier Cru, but if the number of big-name wines coming out of the “Les Tillets” vineyard is any indication, it probably should be. It’s a vineyard designation found on bottles from Domaine Roulot, Louis Jadot, and Antoine Jobard, among others, and while tiny Jomaine Frères may be lesser-known, they do their piece of Les Tillets proud; this is one of Meursault’s highest-elevation vineyards, running up to the edge of the woods that crown the peak that looms over the village.
In the warm, exceptionally generous 2015, Les Tillets was well-positioned to create a wine of energy and elegance, whereas many 2015 Côte de Beaune whites were ultra-rich and lower in acid. We were mightily impressed with Jomain’s take on Les Tillets in 2015, and we think you will be, too: this is both a joy to drink right away and structured for a decade of graceful aging, a triumph of balance and terroir expression. It’s got the kind of extra gear I typically expect from Premier Cru-level Meursault, and we bought up all we could to share with you today—up to six bottles per customer until our stock runs out!
During medieval times, the Les Tillets vineyard had lime trees (called Tille Tillet Or) growing along its outskirts, and at around 960 feet elevation, it Chardonnay definitely delivers some of the lime blossom high notes that distinguish great Meursault/Puligny Chardonnay. In the glass, Jomain’s 2015 is a bright yellow-gold with green reflections at the rim, with a concentrated, perfume nose of yellow apple, citrus pith, white peach, raw hazelnut, fresh cream, and crushed stones. There’s a perfectly ripe, deep core of fruit presented with perfect tension and mineral grip—one of those young whites that’s exceedingly attractive right out of the gate but also clearly built to last. If you are enjoying a bottle tonight, or soon, decant about 30 minutes before serving at 50-55 degrees (as always, we’re advocating for much warmer than refrigerator temp) in Burgundy or all-purpose white wine stems. Try to find some space for a few bottles in a cool corner of your cellar, as I think the real peak drinking window for this wine will open in about three years. This wine will fancy up a simple sole meunière, not to mention a roast chicken or pork loin, and will make a rock-solid addition to a well-curated cellar. Cheers!