Meursault 1er cru Genevrières Cuvée des Pierre
2017
The Latour-Giraud estate has been established in the village of Meursault for many generations. Focused primarily on Meursault, the estate owns an impressive range of Premier Cru and Villages vineyards between 20 and 50+ years old, such as the largest Premier Cru Genevrières vineyard in which two thirds of the vines are more than 50 years old. Latour-Giraud specializes in white burgundy, which accounts for 80% of their production. They own an impressive 2 ha within Mersault, and also have...
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The vineyards of Genevrieres is a total of 16 hectares in the heart of the Meursault 1er Crus, south of the village. The name of this appellation comes from the juniper trees that used to grow there in the past.
Only the free run juice is fermented with wild, natural yeasts in barrels of which 35% is new. The wines are kept on their lees an appropriate time to balance texture and acidity while racking is kept to a minimum. The whites are fined, but not filtered, and bottled by hand. Unlike many producers who bottle all their wines at once, Latour-Giraud carefully monitors each wine and bottles at the optimal time over a 6 month period.
This wine is the classic combination of minerality and the spice of the Genevrieres vineyard. Its deep concentration and power is provided by the old vines. Great aging potential.
Touches of matchstick character and the exotic add breadth to the cool and overtly spicy green fruit and citrus peel-scented aromas. There is more volume to the almost painfully intense middle weight flavors that possess excellent cut before terminating in a mineral-driven, bitter lemon-inflected and slightly warm finish that delivers fine length. The old vines are in evidence as this is a big and unusually powerful Genevrières.
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(Latour has three barrels of this juice, one new, one once-used and one twice-used): Pale, bright yellow. Very pure, minerally aromas of underripe pineapple, soft citrus fruits, white pepper, hazelnut, wild herbs and menthol. Thick, concentrated and very deep, conveying a powerful impression of solidity. The wine's pronounced soft citrus fruit sweetness is counterpointed by salty minerality. Most impressive today on the slowly mounting, savory finish, which boasts terrific building energy. This sappy, utterly seamless wine would be unctuous were it not for its 4.5 g/l acidity, the highest among these 2017s. Owing to the advanced age of these vines and to heat during the flowering, the yield here was just 20 hectoliters per hectare, according to Latour, who added that this wine "gives the real image of the vintage." I disagree, as there are very few 2017 premier crus at the quality level of this one.
See detailed press review