The 2013 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières, which was still in barrel, has a more modest but better defined bouquet compared to the Goutte d’Or, allowing the mineralité to be expressed. The palate is fresh and vibrant, neatly handling the 30% new oak so that it is barely noticeable on the sorbet-like finish. This is a stylish Meursault with very good persistence in the mouth.

The 2012 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres offers a perfumed bouquet with scents of kiwi fruit and dried flowers that gain vigor in the glass. The palate is well balanced with crisp citrus fruits; a fine bead of acidity and a pleasant build to a citrus driven effervescent finish. This really captures the essence of the vineyard and should age well. You may have heard of Pierre-Antoine Rovani. One of Burgundy’s most shy and retiring members, he was his usual taciturn self, uttering all but one or two words during my Sunday afternoon tasting of 2012s in Remoissenet’s 14th century cellars, just off the Beaune peripherique. You know the story here: the name reborn in 2005 when outside investors prompted a Damascene resurrection of what had fundamentally been an also-ran bottling operation, into a quality-driven concern and vinifying wines themselves. Their policy is to buy at premium in order to acquire the best fruit, except for the 2.5-hectare of vineyard that they own themselves. With general manager and former Louis Jadot president Bernard Repolt, winemaker Claudine Jobard and chef de culture Fred Le Prince (a wonderful name that sounds like a lost bassist from Funkadelic), this has been one of the region’s recent success stories. They recently purchased the cuverie at Chateau de Chorey to make the Bourgogne Rouge and Givry Village. They use “342s” as Pierre Antoine referred to them i.e. 342-litre barrels casks for vinifying most of their wines. They have a large portfolio of both domaine and negociant wines that I tasted at a leisurely pace on a Sunday afternoon. And I must say, I was impressed by their 2012s. Sure, not everything hits the spot with such a comprehensive and diverse array of wines, but the fact is that many crus showed very well. As Rovani mentioned, there is a gap in the market for affordable Burgundy, one that will surely expand as the top names become prohibitively expensive for mere mortals. That is where Remoissenet can fit in and having overhauled their reds, it sounds as if they will be working on ameliorating their whites in future years, not that they are anything to be ashamed of now. Hey, and you know what? Even Pierre-Antoine was beginning to lose his inhibition and comes out of his shell by the end of the tasting. Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 392 6995, Cavatappi Distribuzione, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 292 5226, Dark Star Imports, New York, NY; tel. (646) 312 8921, Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 862-0515, United Wine and Spirits, Houston, TX; tel. (713) 696-9463, D.G.L. Distributors, Northbrook, IL; tel. (847) 291- 1110, The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1460. Also available through Avery’s Wine Merchants in Bristol (UK).

The 2011 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres has a very elegant and feminine bouquet that unfurls in the glass: subtle hints of liquorices lending it a feisty but engaging personality. The palate is better behaved than the nose: clean and very well-defined on the entry with the oak nearly embroidered. There is a nice nervosite toward the finish of this delightful Meursault that should age with style. Drink 2015-2025. In February, Pierre-Antoine Rovani and Bernard Repolt trekked over to London to present a range of both recent and older vintages for their UK importer, Averys. If anyone needed convincing that Remoissenet can truly deliver at the top level, then one needs go no further than the stupendous Charmes-Chambertin 2011 that is among the best I have encountered with respect to that vintage. Perhaps with such a large portfolio of crus, gems likes these can get lost in the flurry of reviews, but they can only serve to enhance their reputation among Burgundy cognoscenti. Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 392 6995, Cavatappi Distribuzione, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 292 5226, Dark Star Imports, New York, NY; tel. (646) 312 8921, Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 862-0515, United Wine and Spirits, Houston, TX; tel. (713) 696-9463, D.G.L. Distributors, Northbrook, IL; tel. (847) 291- 1110, The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1460. Also available through Avery’s Wine Merchants in Bristol (UK).

The 2010 Meursault Genevrieres bristles on the palate with intense minerality. It is the most intensely saline, taut Meursault in this lineup, and accordingly needs time in bottle to settle down. Vivid, crystalline fruit marks the huge, textured finish. The Genevrieres is wonderfully complete and harmonious. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. I was very impressed with the 2010 whites I tasted at Remoissenet this year. While most of the top wines are terrific, personally I find just as much pleasure in the many delicious offerings from humbler appellations in this extensive range. Remoissenet purchases fruit and/or wines for many of their offerings. I would not be surprised if there is less competition for the fruit/wines from those less prestigious appellations, which makes it easier to source top quality raw materials. As always, Remoissenet strives for a style built on full phenolic ripeness and harvests that are on the late side relative to most estates. My favorite wines are those where the richness of the fruit is accompanied by complementary minerality and vibrancy. I also tasted a handful of reds from Remoissenet’s Cellar Collection. These are wines that have been cellared in Remoissenet’s cellars for several decades. Prior to being re-released, the wines are decanted to remove sediment, topped up and sealed with a new cork. Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 392 6995, Cavatappi Distribuzione, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 292 5226, Dark Star Imports, New York, NY; tel. (646) 312 8921, Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 862-0515, United Wine and Spirits, Houston, TX; tel. (713) 696-9463, D.G.L. Distributors, Northbrook, IL; tel. (847) 291- 1110, The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1460

The 2009 Meursault Genevrieres is all about crushed rocks, minerality and saline notes that are woven into the fabric from start to finish. It is a striking wine endowed with considerable finesse and a crystalline purity that is admirable, especially in this vintage. It is one of the few w2009s in this lineup that needs bottle age. As one might expect, this is a more understated, subtle style than the Charmes. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. This is a thrilling set of whites from Remoissenet. I have to say, I expected a little more when I tasted the 2009 reds from bottle earlier this year given the significant investments that have taken place here over the last few years. To be fair, though, I liked the 2008 reds I tasted better. But it is with these 2009 whites that the Remoissenet truly shows its potential. This is a fabulous lineup, notable for both its consistency throughout the range as well as for a number of ridiculously priced bargains. It seems pretty clear that winemaker Claudine Jobard has a special touch when it comes to whites. Readers should do whatever they can to check out the marvelous wines. Remoissenet began picking on September 20, very late by the standards of 2009. The wines are rich, ripe and sensual but not at all overdone. A number of the wines were aged partially or entirely in 350 liter barrels, which helped maintain an element of freshness. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to taste the 2010s as they were still in malo, but I did taste a handful of 2008s. Stylistically the Remoissenet wines (both white and red) tend towards the richer end of the spectrum. Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 392 6995, Cavatappi Distribuzione, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 292 5226, Dark Star Imports, New York, NY; tel. (646) 312 8921, Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 862-0515, United Wine and Spirits, Houston, TX; tel. (713) 696-9463, D.G.L. Distributors, Northbrook, IL; tel. (847) 291- 1110, The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1460