A mere three barrels of Buisson-Charles 2006 Meursault Gouttes d’Or insures that few wine lovers will have a chance to experience it, but this bottling – from the center of that small cru, with Jobard, Lafon, and Leroy as neighbors – is one of the unsung, consistent classics of white Burgundy. In 2007, the addition of some contract fruit will increase the volume. Citrus and stones always characterize the best of Gouttes d’Or. In this instance, yellow plum, lemon, iris, licorice, vanilla, and chalk dust inform a penetrating, vibrant aroma and palate, with a silken smoothness of texture and striking clarity. Incidentally, it took eleven months for this to finish its malolactic conversion. This should keep well for 15 or more years. (The 1986 and 1979 are both ravishing today.)
The estate of Michel Buisson – whose son-in-law Patrick Essa now takes the lead – crafts white Burgundies for the Riesling or Chenin-lover, offering clarity, refreshment, and minerality yet not stinting on richness or structure, and wines whose track record in the cellar is among the best of any Chardonnay-based wines in the world. Slow, vertical pressing, unhurried fermentation, largely non-new barrels passive lees contact (i.e. no stirring), and late (unfined, and usually lightly-filtered) bottling figure in the Buisson regimen. Although production is very small, some additional acreage will come on line (along with a completely renovated cellar) beginning in 2008. Predictably – and even though picking did not commence until September 22 – the 2006s here did not sacrifice clarity, refreshment, or mineral dimensions to the vintage’s ripeness or botrytis, and arrived at 13-13.25% alcohol. A portion of village Meursault tinged by rot and at 14% potential alcohol was sold off.
A Thomas Calder Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29; also imported by Scott Paul Wines, Carlton, OR; tel. (503) 852 7300
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