Wine Advocate September, 2011 The 2009 Meursault Charmes comes across as big and quite rich. Layers of fruit totally cover the palate in this textured, seamless Charmes. There is plenty of underlying minerality but the fruit is so huge it virtually covers all of the structural elements. The wine remains graceful and round through to the finish. This may need a number of years to show at its best, but it is stunningly beautiful. Anticipated maturity: 2017+.

The 2009 Meursault Charmes comes across as big and quite rich. Layers of fruit totally cover the palate in this textured, seamless Charmes. There is plenty of underlying minerality but the fruit is so huge it virtually covers all of the structural elements. The wine remains graceful and round through to the finish. This may need a number of years to show at its best, but it is stunningly beautiful. Anticipated maturity: 2017+. Jean-Marc Roulot is one of the most thoughtful, introspective growers in Burgundy, so it is hardly a surprise his 2009s are so sublime. The domaine has grown to 15 hectares as of the 2011 harvest. Roulot was among a group of investors including Dominique Lafon who purchased Domaine Rene Manuel from Laboure-Roi. Readers can look forward to two new wines from Roulot a Meursault Clos de la Baronne, Meursault Clos de Bouchere, plus a little more production of the Poruzots. Roulot was among the first to harvest, and started picking on September 1st. Accodring to Roulot, the optimal window for picking has become much narrower with today’s increasingly warmer growing seasons. Roulot told me he prefers 2009 to 2008 as the fruit was healthier, with no botrytis or other issues, which resulted in wines of greater focus. The 2009s spent 12 months in oak followed by 6 months in steel with very light and infrequent batonnage. The Bourgogne saw less than 10% new barrels, while the village wines saw 15-18% new barrels and the premier crus 25-30% new barrels. Unfortunately I was not able to taste the 2010s as they were in full malolactic fermentation. A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and imported by: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

There is much more mineralite on the Charmes than the Luchets: superb delineation and scents of fresh limestone and granite. The palate is supremely well balanced with perfect acidity, a touch of lemongrass towards the finish that fills the mouth. Amazing persistency. Brilliant. Tasted January 2011.

Bright pale color. Discreet aromas of crushed stone and musky spices; pure and subdued. Then very rich and tactile in the mouth, with a distinctly penetrating character to the lemon, ginger and mineral flavors. I love the combination of intense fruits and spices and almost silky mid-palate texture. Finishes with strong minerality. A fairly ripe style of 2009, but with concentration and balance.

Slightly simple nose. Lots of sweetness and richness. Tingle too. Long. Vines planted 1942. Slightly aggressive acidity – just a little like lime fruit chews... (JR)