Leroy : Meursault 1er cru "Les Genevrières" 2018

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Meursault Premier Cru "Les Genevrières" 2018 from Domaine Leroy

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a brilliant golden-yellow hue, enhanced by subtle greenish highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals fine aromatic complexity with notes of citrus and yellow fruits, notably pear and apple. With aeration, floral aromas of white flowers mingle with nuances of hazelnuts and toasted almonds, alongside buttery and brioche notes. Tertiary hints of iodine, beeswax and minerality round out this refined bouquet.

Palate

The attack is lively and taut, carried by citrus flavors, notably lemon and grapefruit. The mid-palate offers beautiful breadth with a creamy, velvety texture while retaining remarkable elegance. The finish lingers at length on chalky, slightly saline mineral notes, reflecting Meursault’s limestone terroir. The well-preserved acidity brings freshness and balance to the whole.

Food and wine pairings

This Meursault Premier Cru is a perfect match for roasted white meats such as poultry, served with cream- or butter-based sauces. It also pairs very well with butter-prepared shellfish, such as lobster or langoustines. Delicate-fleshed fine fish, foie gras, as well as aged washed-rind cheeses such as Époisses, also make excellent pairings.

Serving and cellaring

The Meursault Premier Cru "Les Genevrières" 2018 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. This wine has an estimated aging potential of 15 to 20 years, allowing it to evolve until around 2038 and develop tertiary aromas of honey, almond and truffle over time.

An exceptional Meursault Premier Cru born of Burgundy biodynamic viticulture

The estate

François Leroy, owner of vineyards in Auxey-Duresses and Musigny among others, founded in 1868 the wine merchant house Leroy. His son Joseph, and then a few years later his grandson Henri, gradually developed the estate, notably through the creation of a branch dedicated to producing liqueurs and eaux-de-vie. In 1942, Henri Leroy acquired half of the prestigious terroir of the Romanée-Conti. Following his death, his youngest daughter Lalou Bize-Leroy joined Domaine Leroy in 1955 and became co-manager of the domaine de la Romanée-Conti, alongside Aubert de Villaine, between 1974 and 1992.

The vineyard

The vineyard of the climat Les Genevrières in Meursault spans around 7.5 hectares and is one of the most renowned Premier Crus in the appellation. Located mid-slope, this terroir benefits from limestone- and clay-based soils that lend the wines an expression that is both opulent and refined. Domaine Leroy applies rigorous biodynamic viticulture here, excluding any synthetic chemical products and favoring natural biodynamic preparations. The vines are tended with meticulous care, including manual plowing, individual vine replacement and pruning according to the lunar calendar. This living-minded approach yields grapes of exceptional quality and concentration.

The vintage

The 2018 vintage in Burgundy was marked by a warm year with early grape ripening. After a cool spring that delayed budbreak, a late-April heatwave allowed the vines to catch up. Flowering took place in early June under excellent conditions, supporting a generous harvest for the whites. The hot, dry summer accelerated ripening, making for early picking in early September. Despite the heat, the generous yields helped avoid excessive concentration and preserved the wines’ freshness. The 2018 vintage produced generous, balanced white wines, intended for relatively early enjoyment while still offering very good aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

The winemaking of the Meursault Premier Cru "Les Genevrières" 2018 follows a philosophy of minimal intervention. Fermentations are carried out with indigenous yeasts naturally present on the grapes. After extended maceration, the grapes are gently pressed and the juice is transferred to a first underground cellar for natural malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged in a second deep, cool cellar, where it rests on fine lees. All wine movements are done by gravity, without mechanical pumping, in order to preserve the wine’s integrity. No fining or filtration is carried out before bottling, allowing the wine to retain all of its natural complexity and texture.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay.