Domaine Matrot En Primeur 2021

This new wine bears a brilliant cartoon label of Adèle and Elsa Matrot, and a green wax capsule. It is from Narbonne, in Languedoc-Roussillon. Adèle and Elsa bought this as grape must and vinified it at the domaine. Peachy and juicy, with a pastried richness and a green melon flair on the finish. It’s not Burgundy but it’s delicious! 8,000 bottles were made. 13.5% abv. 

This comes mainly from Meursault, with the rest from the family’s two hectares in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, beside Maranges. Lively and energetic, this has crisp pear and apple fruit, with pretty white flower perfume and taut acidity. No new oak in 2021 – this was aged in one-year-old oak. Bottled in August 2022, just before the harvest. 

The domaine’s village Meursault is the produce of 36 year-old vines. 12 months of élevage in 1-5 year-old barrels. Chalky, with fine struck-match mineral notes. The palate is wonderfully textured on the finish. The team used candles which, according to Adèle, saved some of the crop. The wine was racked in August and is now resting in stainless steel vat. This is due to be bottled in January 2023. 

The domaine’s Bourgogne Pinot Noir comes from three parcels, two of which are in Puligny-Montrachet and one in Meursault. A wine of bright, crunchy raspberry fruit, with a fresh acid backbone. A great early drinker. 10% new oak. 

This has been one of our favourites for a few years now, a stand-out Pinot Noir from Meursault. Rose petal and violet perfume – very pretty aromas, with dark peppery spice. The palate is cool and brightly red-berried, with a plush fruitcoating to the tannins. Just ten barrels were made, versus the usual 22 or 23. 20% new oak. 

An emblematic Côte de Beaune Pinot, made from a plot just above Sous le Dos d’Âne (from where Domaine Leflaive’s Meursault comes) and directly beneath the wood of Blagny – hence sous le bois. This was terribly frosted: ten barrels were made, instead of the usual 26. Dark wintery berry aromas, opening onto a medium-bodied palate of pretty, vivacious raspberry fruit. This is an earlier drinking Blagny but impeccably made. 100% destemmed. 20% new oak.