The Meursault appellation enjoys an immense worldwide popularity paved by the owners of top vineyards making opulent, easy to drink, white burgundies, the prices of which might be similar to those of its southern neighbours of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet! However, overpriced, dull and diluted examples are common, and navigating among the high number of growers (some 100), who mostly bottle and sell their own wines, is extremely difficult, if you head for domains which offer fairly priced white bourgundies of high quality. Add to this the fashion for individual cuvees from single village vineyards which has its strongest expression in Meursault, making interpretations of the appellation even more complicated! Our preference for fresh, balanced whites, expressing fresh fruitiness roaring from the glas and balanced by mineral acidity, has allowed us to identify a few domains so far which also offer fairly priced wines and are open to new clients.

Domaine Buisson-Battault is today headed by Francois Buisson and his wife Frédérique, who took over from Francois father, André, several years ago. Vineyard holdings include eight hectares in 13 appellations (10 in white and 3 in red). Some six of the eight hectares are owned, while 2½ ha are en métayage (Mersault Genevriéres (see above), Goutte d’Or and village). Vineyards include Les Genevriéres (1.5 acres), Les Charmes (0.98 acres), Les Gouttes d’Or (3.9 acres), Les Poruzot (1.0 acre), all of which are 1^er Cru, and Meursault village le Limozin and Criots. Vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet include Refert 1^er Cru and village Les Charmes. They also make Bourgogne Chardonnay and Aligoté. The red wines include Beaune-Epenottes 1^er Cru, Pommard and Bourgogne rouge.

Viticulture en lutte raisonné and no more herbicides bien avant que le bio soit à la mode.” Je traite mes Vignes comme je soigne mes enfants, resume le vigneron. Manual harvest with quality selection of grapes. Francois Buisson is a non-interventionalist, aiming at low yields and healthy grapes. Vinification depends on “Dame nature”, but is based upon basic experiences obtained from his father. He aims for “un maximum d’élegance et de gras and vins de garde”. He believes in a relative cool fermentation for his whites. Kept in barrel on all its lies for 12 month. Only 20% new oak is used, and only for PC.

Tasting in this cellar has taught us the major differences between Meursault and Puligny and the differences between his four Meursault PC, all of which express their terroir. Our picks from this excellent domaine have so far only included Meursault Les Genevréres (PC), Les Gouttes d’Or (PC) and Le Limozin (village), in addition to his Puligny Montrachet Les Charmes.

www.buisson-battault.com