2017 Meursault Boucheres

The 2017 Meursault Bouchères 1er Cru has a relatively light and innocuous nose that needs to develop more fruit intensity. The palate is a little heavier, not unlike a Viognier, and more concentrated than its peers, though the acidity keeps this on an even keel. Taut and quite saline toward the finish, it is more primal than others but conveys energy and nascent tension. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.

The 2017 Meursault 1er Cru Bouchères reveals notes of citrus zest, peach, white flowers and almond paste on the nose, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny palate that's more tensile and incisive than last year's rendition, concluding with a saline finish.

30 ares (three-quarters of an acre), of which 15 came from Labouré-Roi and 15 from Roulot (also ex Labouré-Roi). Barrel sample (but already moved to older oak). Mealy and rich, almost a touch yeasty. Spice tied into intense and ripe citrus. A touch of orange here too but all subdued by the texture. There’s sour freshness that lifts the long finish. (JH)