Meo-Camuzet : Saint-Aubin 1er cru Meo-Camuzet Frere & Soeurs 2017

Meo-Camuzet founder Etienne Camuzet purchased 20 hectares of vines, which today are known as some of the best crus in Burgundy. However it wasn’t until three generations later in 1981 that Meo-Camuzet was established and in 1983 that their first vintage was released. Before then, Etienne Camuzet relied on trusted sharecroppers to tend to his vines while he worked as a politician in Paris. Etienne’s daughter bequeathed the estate to next closest relative, cousin Jean Meo who then passed it down to his son and current owner Jean-Nicolas.

Unlike past owners Etienne and Jean, Jean-Nicolas diverged from politics to be a full time vigneron. He looked to two significant sharecroppers that worked on the Meo-Camuzet estate for years for guidance. The famed Henri Jayer, before his retirement and Christian Faurois both mentored Jean-Nicolas to help him create pure and balanced wines that reflect the terroir of the land. With six Grand Crus and 10 Premier Crus, Meo-Camuzet is one of the most celebrated wineries in the Cote d’Or.

The Saint-Aubin appellation is made up of 130 hectares with around three quarters of Premier Cru plots located on the limestone rich hillsides. Nestled in a narrow valley of the Cote d’Or, the topography allows for daily sun exposure in this continental climate resulting in high quality wines. While this area used to be famous for its rich reds, today white wine, specifically Chardonnay, makes up nearly 80% of the appellation production. One of only three white wines produced at the domaine, the Meo-Camuzet Saint-Aubin 1er cru 2017 is a dazzling expression of white Burgundy. The grapes are sourced from 20-year-old vines from a small plot that is less than one half of a hectare. The wine itself is bright and complex with notes of lemon, almond, orange zest, stone fruit and a backbone of minerality. Aromas of lychee, pear and hazelnut lead to a rich and rounded palate.