The Charmes appellation represents a surface area of 31 hectares in the Commune of Meursault.
The Meursault Premier Cru les Charmes vineyards that we have cultivated since 1992 on a sharecropping basis (50% of the crop for the owner, 50% for the tenant) .
They cover a total area of 0.66 hectares.
The average age of the vines is 50 years.
The vines are 100% Chardonnay.
Annual production: around 3,700 bottles.
The vines are cultivated using non-certified organic methods.
The subsoil consists of a base of rock plates.
By ageing with just 20% in new barrels, and the rest in barrels that have held one, two or three wines, we preserve the unique character of the terroir.
This is a Premier Cru with a nose of mimosa honey, Turkish Delight, followed by flowers, carnation-lilac-violet, bergamot-nutmeg spice… a mouthfeel of poached white fruits, grilled hazelnuts, white chocolate, sappy, sensual, an intense finish, long in the mouth.
Tasting
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Golden robe, barely deeper in colour, with green highlights, a little more discreet, and nice brightness. A sensual nose with more candied fruit aromas; more exotic than the Poruzots, the barely detectable pineapple is more marked here; the peach tends towards yellow; mango, quince, apricot; the citrus fruits are more in the background and candied – from organettes to lemon; the water is no longer that of a torrent but of a pond or river; the vegetal component evokes water lilies and aquatic plants; cold apple puree made from Boskoop and Canadian Reinette; Beurré Hardy pears – the flesh and the skin; sensuality has decreased in intensity; a note of bergamot; musk and incense.
Full-bodied mouthfeel, its expression fills the palate; opulent, dense, expansive body; empyreumatic note that ignites the fruit; the spiciest wine so far – peppers, especially saffron and chilli; curry; the overlapping fruits are difficult to identify, apart from orange, which is also very spicy; grapefruit should be mentioned; mango; and even passion fruit; more yang than the rest of the range of whites; a serious, concentrated Charmes; this Charmes requires laying down, no less than seven or eight years; similarities with the Pré du Manche; therefore, in the long term, pair with white meat and ‘fatty’ mushrooms such as porcini.
The finish is long to very long; still as powerful and concentrated; the clay hits hard, like a head butt; a telluric expression of the terroir, the depths; a profusion of nutmeg in the length; this wine is worthy of greater fame as it gradually reveals its qualities. If it were to accompany a fish, it would have to be turbot or salmon – both opulent enough to match the density of the wine – and should be cooked in the oven and accompanied by a Robuchon puree, but not before seven or eight years; if pairing with meat, a double-cut veal chop à la Jean-Pierre Vigato would be perfect, but not before ten years in this case.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
A beautifully tender and poetic nose, favouring delicate dried fruits and flowers; the feeling of spring, a body of water, freshness of the air and the rise of the sap, acacias; white flowers, at first discreet, then exhibiting more and more generous perfumes; honey, boiled sweets, vanilla, custard, île flottante; it is all very typically ‘Charmes’, very sensual. Coulis of white and yellow fruits, yellow peach, Williams pear, caramel, dulce de leche.
On the palate, citrus and yellow fruits, orange juice, mandarin juice, Cavaillon melon accompanied by mango, pineapple and an identifiable note of apricot.
Intense finish and great length, intense and precise at the same time; an ideal candidate to pair with turbot with hollandaise sauce from now until five years time; you’ll have to be just a little more patient for veal fillet with ceps.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Hazelnut, praline, poached pear, melted butter, white fruits such as white peach or roasted apple, a touch of currants, and pineapple, a hint of roasted apricot, honey, gingerbread, a morsel of pound cake subtly flavoured with orange blossom; make no mistake – this is a Charmes. Added to the above, orange fruit jellies, a hint of saffron and curry – that’s a 2020 special, also Sichuan pepper, juniper berries.
On the palate, candied fruit, pear and quince, yellow peach and mango, egg yolk and apricot, pineapple and caramelised Reinette apple, barley sugar, pralines, roasted clementines, freshly baked tart made with oranges, mirabelle plums and peaches, discreet empyreumatic characteristics, flambéed fruits, mandarins and peaches.
A very long finish; natural, effortless; it lasts and lasts; it’s distinct; there is fruit, optimal maturity; we are surprised to still taste the wine after a long time; this is a Charmes as it should be, flying the flag of the village, the wine that presents its most renowned characteristics concentrated; sensuality, the elegance of the pastry chef, gluttony, hedonism.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
The robe is almost identical to Poruzots, or slightly deeper. It’s as if we’re taking up where the final olfactory chapter of Poruzots left off – at the marriage between the dried fruits with subtle lactic and/or pastry elements, and this is quite normal as these are characteristic elements of this famous appellation. But what comes to mind, which is not only unusual and surprising, especially when we remember the record sunshine and temperatures of 2019, is the incredible freshness on the nose – not just for this vintage but in absolute terms! Lavender and lime blossom–mint, eucalyptus, ginger and white pepper, fresh bay leaf and cardamom – these are classic descriptors of a Perrières rather than a Charmes and yet, these aromas dominate the nose. Fresh white fruit, frozen yogurt, and scents of lime and orange blossom.
On the palate, stewed or poached white fruits, white peach, pear, apple, and spices that are increasingly powerful on the retro-nasal olfactory senses – bergamot, allspice, nutmeg, candied orange, quince jelly, kumquat.
The finish is the perfect continuity of the palate – flavoursome with fine white fruits and powerful spices; and the finish is long to very long; cellaring is obligatory for at least 5 to 7 years; a Charmes to go with a good sea fish, but not white meats, roasted and in a light sauce – Béarnaise rather than beurre blanc, and mild curry rather than hollandaise.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Solid structure, most likely a big bottle but what has been said several times, must be repeated here with emphasis: Don’t touch a single bottle for five years, please. So it is the solid side that comes first, cast iron-metal-steel-lead, how else to define this minerality, the concentration provided by the rock dresses the grape within a framework, an armour to stay in the metal, which imposes its density, its power to the juice. There is also an abundance of dried fruits, cashew nuts, hazelnuts and walnuts and also nougat and pine nuts, in short it is solid, it stands on its own without even needing the help of the bottle, not to mention candied fruits, orangette, kumquat, honey, brown sugar. The mouth is juicier than expected but it is still a mass of wine, marmalade, mandarin peel, gingerbread, candied plum, kumquat. The finish, first-rate in terms of intensity and length shows that this brute with a tender heart is likely to become a great thing, what a persistence! In our opinion, the price to pay is at least 7 years, served hot and better for white meats.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
A nose of lightly poached white fruits, pear, apple and white peach too, Causses honey, an Alpine cheese crust like a Beaufort, cast iron, lead and rock, more yang than usual, a dense and serious Charmes. The juicy palate, greedy with a note of Isigny caramel, melted butter, is most definitely opulent but also very solid, very dense, there aren’t many 2017 that require care. Surprised, I wait and return to have another look to discover more air, more subtlety with fruits and flowers, sweet spices, cinnamon and turmeric, poached white fruits, hints of pastry, in short, the Charmes showcases itself, I didn’t have to wait long, a few minutes at most, the finish highlights the fruit ever expanding, it is sapid, tasty, what a look and what a vintage. The persistence, another benefit of this vintage, is unconventional, to be enjoyed after being decanted in a carafe for a good half hour with a just-grilled sole but to be revisited in ten years with Béarnaise sauce turbot.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Like for the Poruzot, both tastings of this Charmes demonstrate at first an enticing wine, violet, fresh butter and honey, Earl Gray-wasabi and black radish, adding some spice, some form of sweetness on the palate with pear and apple, Comice and Reinette, but also barley sugar, tempered by notes of orange peel, moving to a much more mineral and even spicier wine, verging on hot pepper, spicy. Indeed, if you were to try this wine again after a long enough break, even though we find the more traditional flavours of aniseed, honey, icing sugar, hazelnuts and fresh almonds, we are impressed by the power of the spices, cardamom, clove, grey to green peppers, fresh laurel, gum and eucalyptus, and this almost spicy note. The juicy mouth is first dominated by white fruit, pear and Boskoop apple, and then moves to spices, especially peppers. Closer to a Perrières than a Charmes, a more vertical than horizontal wine, more mineral than glamorous, a Charmes of a rather violent kind, more salt-crusted sea bass than white butter brill.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Standard Charmes with its remarkable typicality. Poached white fruits, praline and dried fruit, churned butter, sweetness and sensuality, sweet almond oil, frangipane, soft but always distinguished.
Well-balanced on the palate, with a feeling of fullness, voluptuous yet opulent without being heavy. The finish is very long, a gentle wave of heat warms the throat, a flavour with hints of white truffle confirms that some will have to be kept to age in the cellar. In five years, expect sweetbreads and oyster mushrooms, in ten, fillet and porcini mushrooms.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
A more charming, poetic and soft nose than the Poruzots wine, empyreumatic with a burnt twig aroma (the barrels are not burnt), honey, poached white fruit, dry fruit (pine nuts, almonds), grape jam, marmalade, freshly-cut lawn, grey pepper, musk, soil present in abundance. In the mouth, citrus fruit, apples (Belle de Boskoop and Reinette), white chocolate, white pepper, nourishing, with a fruit intimately linked to the expression of the soil, perfect balances. The finish is very straight, almost rectilinear with a Perrières side which is difficult to hide, that is what would come to mind during a blind tasting, spectacular length.
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
A fine nose, almost delicate, a deep mineral sensation, cast iron/iron, steel. For a minute, it feels like I’m tasting German Riesling? The alcohol seems negligible, such is the tantalizing minerality in this wine. Palate of white fruits, cold milk, fresh vegetables like radish, black radish, cucumber, soon enhanced by eucalyptus and tea, maybe e hint of green tea. Upright, tense, with power, constantly working to reveal its inner complexity.
Concentrated nose, the style of the vintage fits like a glove on the Charmes appellation. Butter, milk, eggs, thick crème fraiche, melted cheese, nougat, fine honey, orange, wheat, Turkish delights, gazelle horn biscuits, the pastry chef has lots to choose from, all the best ingredients lie before him. Voluminous on the palate, freshness and power, as if the Hokusai wave is crashing before us, the texture has a density that is almost unbelievable. In 2012, the model for the vintage is the Charmes; there is some in the Villages, in the Poruzots and oh so much in this classic Charmes. Very long, very persistent.
The repeat of an old scenario. At first, the nose has aromas of white truffle, complex meaty notes, mushrooms, poached white fruits, candied white fruits, sweet spice, nutmeg, nothing but classic and just after aeration comes a troop of citrus fruits, lime, guava, pomegranate, passion fruit, lemon sorbet (fresh aromas). Again the palate is butterier than anticipated, creamier, more sensual, and then the citrus comes through. The Charmes is less at ease than the Poruzot or Goutte d’Or in the framework of the vintage. Indeed, the citrus-minerality cohesion brings the finish in a sharper direction erasing a bit of the sensuality of the terroir. To my senses, we must be more patient with this wine, leaving it the time to fall into place so that the aromas and savors melt together and liberate the spirit of Charmes, which will not fail to manifest itself in time.
Intense nose, empyreumatic, rubber, complex spices, sensation of water mineralized by a torrent, tense, closed, once again, closer to a Perrières than a classic Charmes, due to the extraordinary tension provided by this vintage. 93+
Nose that is sensual, carnal, daring the cliché “sexy”. Caramel, white chocolate, praline, roasted almond, dried fruits, with allure and energy. The palette is full of fruit, elastic, a really savory wine that finishes very direct and with lots of intensity. Very Charmes.
Sensual nose, one can almost refer back to the description of Limozin, Moroccan honey cake, pine nuts, violets and lily, very expressive strength, but at the same time it’s a very pure nose, with aeration it becomes fresher and fresher, more and more elegant, complex, pollen, white flowers, orange flower.
Lots of fruit on the palette, winter pear, poached white fruits, grape, lots of chewiness, lots of flesh, great structure. Powerful finish, deep and dense minerals, lead, cast-iron, rock, considerable length. To be aged imperatively 7 to 8 years in cellar.
The MEURSAULT CHARMES gives off winter and William pears, Paris Brest and millefeuilles pastries, and dried fruits. On the palette, freshness and raciness, the finish is empyreumatic on an intense minerality; a very, very great persistence.
Le millésime 2006 a une tendance à l’opulence. Opulence liée à la générosité de l’alcool oui, mais aussi générosité dans l’esprit des arômes. Arômes de confit, de truffe blanche, miel et beurre, notes de viande blanche, os de veau. Le Meursault Charmes est déjà le climat le plus sensuel du finage en temps normal, mais en 2006, c’est encore plus sensible.
Le vin est très jeune, bien sûr, mais peut tout de même être bu. Trois conditions : La première, beaucoup d’ouverture, 5 ou 6 heures, plus une dernière heure en carafe bien ouverte. La deuxième, une température légèrement plus basse qu’à l’accoutumée, essayer de limiter à 12°celsius maximum, pour ne laisser aucune chance à l’alcool d’empiéter sur l’harmonie du vin. La troisième, proposer un plat “chargé”, c’est à dire un poisson plutôt gras, gros turbot, vrai saumon, chargé en sauce, beurre blanc ou hollandaise, et plutôt accompagné d’une purée de pommes de terre “Robuchonesque”. Pour les fromages, Mont d’Or (pas avant décembre), Reblochon bien fait, Brie de Meaux méticuleusement décroûté.
- + 2022
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Golden robe, barely deeper in colour, with green highlights, a little more discreet, and nice brightness. A sensual nose with more candied fruit aromas; more exotic than the Poruzots, the barely detectable pineapple is more marked here; the peach tends towards yellow; mango, quince, apricot; the citrus fruits are more in the background and candied – from organettes to lemon; the water is no longer that of a torrent but of a pond or river; the vegetal component evokes water lilies and aquatic plants; cold apple puree made from Boskoop and Canadian Reinette; Beurré Hardy pears – the flesh and the skin; sensuality has decreased in intensity; a note of bergamot; musk and incense.
Full-bodied mouthfeel, its expression fills the palate; opulent, dense, expansive body; empyreumatic note that ignites the fruit; the spiciest wine so far – peppers, especially saffron and chilli; curry; the overlapping fruits are difficult to identify, apart from orange, which is also very spicy; grapefruit should be mentioned; mango; and even passion fruit; more yang than the rest of the range of whites; a serious, concentrated Charmes; this Charmes requires laying down, no less than seven or eight years; similarities with the Pré du Manche; therefore, in the long term, pair with white meat and ‘fatty’ mushrooms such as porcini.
The finish is long to very long; still as powerful and concentrated; the clay hits hard, like a head butt; a telluric expression of the terroir, the depths; a profusion of nutmeg in the length; this wine is worthy of greater fame as it gradually reveals its qualities. If it were to accompany a fish, it would have to be turbot or salmon – both opulent enough to match the density of the wine – and should be cooked in the oven and accompanied by a Robuchon puree, but not before seven or eight years; if pairing with meat, a double-cut veal chop à la Jean-Pierre Vigato would be perfect, but not before ten years in this case. - + 2021
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
A beautifully tender and poetic nose, favouring delicate dried fruits and flowers; the feeling of spring, a body of water, freshness of the air and the rise of the sap, acacias; white flowers, at first discreet, then exhibiting more and more generous perfumes; honey, boiled sweets, vanilla, custard, île flottante; it is all very typically ‘Charmes’, very sensual. Coulis of white and yellow fruits, yellow peach, Williams pear, caramel, dulce de leche.
On the palate, citrus and yellow fruits, orange juice, mandarin juice, Cavaillon melon accompanied by mango, pineapple and an identifiable note of apricot.
Intense finish and great length, intense and precise at the same time; an ideal candidate to pair with turbot with hollandaise sauce from now until five years time; you’ll have to be just a little more patient for veal fillet with ceps. - + 2020
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Hazelnut, praline, poached pear, melted butter, white fruits such as white peach or roasted apple, a touch of currants, and pineapple, a hint of roasted apricot, honey, gingerbread, a morsel of pound cake subtly flavoured with orange blossom; make no mistake – this is a Charmes. Added to the above, orange fruit jellies, a hint of saffron and curry – that’s a 2020 special, also Sichuan pepper, juniper berries.
On the palate, candied fruit, pear and quince, yellow peach and mango, egg yolk and apricot, pineapple and caramelised Reinette apple, barley sugar, pralines, roasted clementines, freshly baked tart made with oranges, mirabelle plums and peaches, discreet empyreumatic characteristics, flambéed fruits, mandarins and peaches.
A very long finish; natural, effortless; it lasts and lasts; it’s distinct; there is fruit, optimal maturity; we are surprised to still taste the wine after a long time; this is a Charmes as it should be, flying the flag of the village, the wine that presents its most renowned characteristics concentrated; sensuality, the elegance of the pastry chef, gluttony, hedonism. - + 2019
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
The robe is almost identical to Poruzots, or slightly deeper. It’s as if we’re taking up where the final olfactory chapter of Poruzots left off – at the marriage between the dried fruits with subtle lactic and/or pastry elements, and this is quite normal as these are characteristic elements of this famous appellation. But what comes to mind, which is not only unusual and surprising, especially when we remember the record sunshine and temperatures of 2019, is the incredible freshness on the nose – not just for this vintage but in absolute terms! Lavender and lime blossom–mint, eucalyptus, ginger and white pepper, fresh bay leaf and cardamom – these are classic descriptors of a Perrières rather than a Charmes and yet, these aromas dominate the nose. Fresh white fruit, frozen yogurt, and scents of lime and orange blossom.
On the palate, stewed or poached white fruits, white peach, pear, apple, and spices that are increasingly powerful on the retro-nasal olfactory senses – bergamot, allspice, nutmeg, candied orange, quince jelly, kumquat.
The finish is the perfect continuity of the palate – flavoursome with fine white fruits and powerful spices; and the finish is long to very long; cellaring is obligatory for at least 5 to 7 years; a Charmes to go with a good sea fish, but not white meats, roasted and in a light sauce – Béarnaise rather than beurre blanc, and mild curry rather than hollandaise. - + 2018
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Solid structure, most likely a big bottle but what has been said several times, must be repeated here with emphasis: Don’t touch a single bottle for five years, please. So it is the solid side that comes first, cast iron-metal-steel-lead, how else to define this minerality, the concentration provided by the rock dresses the grape within a framework, an armour to stay in the metal, which imposes its density, its power to the juice. There is also an abundance of dried fruits, cashew nuts, hazelnuts and walnuts and also nougat and pine nuts, in short it is solid, it stands on its own without even needing the help of the bottle, not to mention candied fruits, orangette, kumquat, honey, brown sugar. The mouth is juicier than expected but it is still a mass of wine, marmalade, mandarin peel, gingerbread, candied plum, kumquat. The finish, first-rate in terms of intensity and length shows that this brute with a tender heart is likely to become a great thing, what a persistence! In our opinion, the price to pay is at least 7 years, served hot and better for white meats.
- + 2017
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
A nose of lightly poached white fruits, pear, apple and white peach too, Causses honey, an Alpine cheese crust like a Beaufort, cast iron, lead and rock, more yang than usual, a dense and serious Charmes. The juicy palate, greedy with a note of Isigny caramel, melted butter, is most definitely opulent but also very solid, very dense, there aren’t many 2017 that require care. Surprised, I wait and return to have another look to discover more air, more subtlety with fruits and flowers, sweet spices, cinnamon and turmeric, poached white fruits, hints of pastry, in short, the Charmes showcases itself, I didn’t have to wait long, a few minutes at most, the finish highlights the fruit ever expanding, it is sapid, tasty, what a look and what a vintage. The persistence, another benefit of this vintage, is unconventional, to be enjoyed after being decanted in a carafe for a good half hour with a just-grilled sole but to be revisited in ten years with Béarnaise sauce turbot.
- + 2016
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Like for the Poruzot, both tastings of this Charmes demonstrate at first an enticing wine, violet, fresh butter and honey, Earl Gray-wasabi and black radish, adding some spice, some form of sweetness on the palate with pear and apple, Comice and Reinette, but also barley sugar, tempered by notes of orange peel, moving to a much more mineral and even spicier wine, verging on hot pepper, spicy. Indeed, if you were to try this wine again after a long enough break, even though we find the more traditional flavours of aniseed, honey, icing sugar, hazelnuts and fresh almonds, we are impressed by the power of the spices, cardamom, clove, grey to green peppers, fresh laurel, gum and eucalyptus, and this almost spicy note. The juicy mouth is first dominated by white fruit, pear and Boskoop apple, and then moves to spices, especially peppers. Closer to a Perrières than a Charmes, a more vertical than horizontal wine, more mineral than glamorous, a Charmes of a rather violent kind, more salt-crusted sea bass than white butter brill.
- + 2015
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
Standard Charmes with its remarkable typicality. Poached white fruits, praline and dried fruit, churned butter, sweetness and sensuality, sweet almond oil, frangipane, soft but always distinguished.
Well-balanced on the palate, with a feeling of fullness, voluptuous yet opulent without being heavy. The finish is very long, a gentle wave of heat warms the throat, a flavour with hints of white truffle confirms that some will have to be kept to age in the cellar. In five years, expect sweetbreads and oyster mushrooms, in ten, fillet and porcini mushrooms. - + 2014
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
A more charming, poetic and soft nose than the Poruzots wine, empyreumatic with a burnt twig aroma (the barrels are not burnt), honey, poached white fruit, dry fruit (pine nuts, almonds), grape jam, marmalade, freshly-cut lawn, grey pepper, musk, soil present in abundance. In the mouth, citrus fruit, apples (Belle de Boskoop and Reinette), white chocolate, white pepper, nourishing, with a fruit intimately linked to the expression of the soil, perfect balances. The finish is very straight, almost rectilinear with a Perrières side which is difficult to hide, that is what would come to mind during a blind tasting, spectacular length.
- + 2013
-
Rafael GIMENEZ-FAUVETY ‘s tasting notes – Retailer ; “De Corps et d’Esprit” in Paris
A fine nose, almost delicate, a deep mineral sensation, cast iron/iron, steel. For a minute, it feels like I’m tasting German Riesling? The alcohol seems negligible, such is the tantalizing minerality in this wine. Palate of white fruits, cold milk, fresh vegetables like radish, black radish, cucumber, soon enhanced by eucalyptus and tea, maybe e hint of green tea. Upright, tense, with power, constantly working to reveal its inner complexity.
- + 2012
-
Concentrated nose, the style of the vintage fits like a glove on the Charmes appellation. Butter, milk, eggs, thick crème fraiche, melted cheese, nougat, fine honey, orange, wheat, Turkish delights, gazelle horn biscuits, the pastry chef has lots to choose from, all the best ingredients lie before him. Voluminous on the palate, freshness and power, as if the Hokusai wave is crashing before us, the texture has a density that is almost unbelievable. In 2012, the model for the vintage is the Charmes; there is some in the Villages, in the Poruzots and oh so much in this classic Charmes. Very long, very persistent.
- + 2011
-
The repeat of an old scenario. At first, the nose has aromas of white truffle, complex meaty notes, mushrooms, poached white fruits, candied white fruits, sweet spice, nutmeg, nothing but classic and just after aeration comes a troop of citrus fruits, lime, guava, pomegranate, passion fruit, lemon sorbet (fresh aromas). Again the palate is butterier than anticipated, creamier, more sensual, and then the citrus comes through. The Charmes is less at ease than the Poruzot or Goutte d’Or in the framework of the vintage. Indeed, the citrus-minerality cohesion brings the finish in a sharper direction erasing a bit of the sensuality of the terroir. To my senses, we must be more patient with this wine, leaving it the time to fall into place so that the aromas and savors melt together and liberate the spirit of Charmes, which will not fail to manifest itself in time.
- + 2010
-
Intense nose, empyreumatic, rubber, complex spices, sensation of water mineralized by a torrent, tense, closed, once again, closer to a Perrières than a classic Charmes, due to the extraordinary tension provided by this vintage. 93+
- + 2009
-
Nose that is sensual, carnal, daring the cliché “sexy”. Caramel, white chocolate, praline, roasted almond, dried fruits, with allure and energy. The palette is full of fruit, elastic, a really savory wine that finishes very direct and with lots of intensity. Very Charmes.
- + 2008
-
Sensual nose, one can almost refer back to the description of Limozin, Moroccan honey cake, pine nuts, violets and lily, very expressive strength, but at the same time it’s a very pure nose, with aeration it becomes fresher and fresher, more and more elegant, complex, pollen, white flowers, orange flower.
Lots of fruit on the palette, winter pear, poached white fruits, grape, lots of chewiness, lots of flesh, great structure. Powerful finish, deep and dense minerals, lead, cast-iron, rock, considerable length. To be aged imperatively 7 to 8 years in cellar.
- + 2007
-
The MEURSAULT CHARMES gives off winter and William pears, Paris Brest and millefeuilles pastries, and dried fruits. On the palette, freshness and raciness, the finish is empyreumatic on an intense minerality; a very, very great persistence.
- + 2006
-
Le millésime 2006 a une tendance à l’opulence. Opulence liée à la générosité de l’alcool oui, mais aussi générosité dans l’esprit des arômes. Arômes de confit, de truffe blanche, miel et beurre, notes de viande blanche, os de veau. Le Meursault Charmes est déjà le climat le plus sensuel du finage en temps normal, mais en 2006, c’est encore plus sensible.
Le vin est très jeune, bien sûr, mais peut tout de même être bu. Trois conditions : La première, beaucoup d’ouverture, 5 ou 6 heures, plus une dernière heure en carafe bien ouverte. La deuxième, une température légèrement plus basse qu’à l’accoutumée, essayer de limiter à 12°celsius maximum, pour ne laisser aucune chance à l’alcool d’empiéter sur l’harmonie du vin. La troisième, proposer un plat “chargé”, c’est à dire un poisson plutôt gras, gros turbot, vrai saumon, chargé en sauce, beurre blanc ou hollandaise, et plutôt accompagné d’une purée de pommes de terre “Robuchonesque”. Pour les fromages, Mont d’Or (pas avant décembre), Reblochon bien fait, Brie de Meaux méticuleusement décroûté.