Domaine Guy Bocard - Meursault Old Vines 2023
In the heart of Meursault, Domaine Guy Bocard is one of those estates whose history naturally intertwines with that of the village. The first viticultural traces of the Bocard family date back to the 1920s, before Guy Bocard truly developed the estate from 1976 by purchasing several plots and establishing the property on rue de Mazeray. Since the 2018 takeover by the Derichebourg family, the house has embarked on a new chapter, with increased attention to the vineyard, soils, and the expression of the climats. The estate now covers a compact vineyard, worked with the same care from regional appellations to the premier crus of Meursault. In this emblematic commune of the Côte de Beaune, Chardonnay finds a unique expression, between natural breadth, buttery texture, chalky freshness, and depth of palate. Meursault Old Vines 2023 fully embodies this identity, with a village cuvée made from aged grapes, capable of offering more density and relief than a simple introductory Meursault. This wine carries the current spirit of the estate: a serious, ripe, precise white Burgundy, where the generosity of the fruit remains guided by the tension of the terroir.
This cuvée comes from Chardonnay from vines over fifty years old, blending several Meursault climats: En la Barre, Les Malpoiriers, Les Dressoles, and Les Durots. These southeast-facing plots, located around 250 meters altitude, rest on clay-limestone soils that give the wine volume, structure, and a discreet mineral freshness. The old vines play an essential role here, as they bring natural concentration, a more composed matter, and depth that does not depend on heavy aging. The grapes are hand-harvested, then slowly pressed whole cluster to preserve the finesse of the juices. Fermentation takes place in barrels, with indigenous yeasts and malolactic fermentation, followed by twelve months aging on lees, including a small proportion of new wood. The 2023 vintage brings generous ripeness, but the style of the cuvée retains a well-present acidity, a saline finish, and that sensation of a complete Meursault, ample without becoming heavy. The whole should be read as a wine of texture and terroir, deeper than exuberant, carried by the natural patina of the old vines.
The color presents a clear and luminous gold, with slightly golden reflections announcing a beautiful Chardonnay ripeness. The nose opens on ripe pear, white peach, yellow apple, and candied lemon, then evolves towards nuances of fresh almond, hazelnut, fine butter, white flowers, and warm stone. On the palate, the attack is ample, enveloping, with that characteristic roundness of Meursault quickly balanced by freshness. The matter has depth, a silky texture, and a slightly creamy sensation, but the whole remains carried by a saline line that lengthens the tasting. The wood blends into the volume of the wine, bringing structure and a touch of toasted bread without masking the fruit or minerality. The finish prolongs ripe citrus, white fruits, almond, and a fine bitterness that gives the wine a true gastronomic dimension. This Meursault Old Vines 2023 will pair remarkably well with seared scallops, roasted lobster, turbot with beurre blanc, Bresse poultry with cream, pike quenelles, morel risotto, or aged Comté cheese. Served around 11 to 13°C, in a fairly large glass, it will benefit from being opened a few minutes before the meal to let its texture and depth unfold.
Grape variety: Chardonnay
