7/99. Bought at auction 8/98 for $60.
My first bottle (I think) from that controversial Belgian who, about ten years ago, set out a negoc business somewhere south of the Cote d'Or. He then proceeded to 'secretly' contract some of the best growers in the Cote de Beaune to sell him their top grapes, from which he produces supposedly superb white wines.
COLOR: Eye-catching full golden color.
NOSE: Distinct lemony aroma with a mixture of lichees and light honey. Not a trace of wood tones which gives the impression of a pure clean nose. Very nice in its own right but, lacking the typical nutty and buttery fatness, I would never have guessed this is a Meursault. The nose itself is somewhat low-keyed though very focused.
TASTE: Very expressive and quite mouth-filling. Very fresh with the lemony flavors very clear. Clean, refreshing and elegant on the palate. But again, lacks the viscosity and "chewiness" of the Meursault terroir. Good winyness and very pleasant to drink, but more like a light Chassagne-Montrachet than a top-notch Meursault.
LENGTH: Medium long aftertaste. Very pleasant but not really lingering.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Medium-light bodied (in spite of 13% alcohol!), very good fruit with excellent acidity. Not lacking in winyness and perfectly balanced. A very 'well made' wine but still somehow not what I'd expect from a good Meursault.
OVERALL: Excellent-plus. I would have rated it higher if it was, say, a New World Chardonnay. But the typicity of Meursault is so distinct and easy to express that failing to do so merit a (mild) objection from me.

MARK: 17.5/20.

BUY MORE? Maybe.

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Copyright 1996-2003.
Jacob "Yak" Shaya.