The White 2020s: Greatness, Plus Charm?

To confirm my initial joyful feeling about the white 2020s, I attended the Grands Jours de Bourgogne event in Tonnelier Damy’s cooperage in Meursault. This was a lovely tasting with many great, delightful wines that deserve a mention. This event concluded my Grands Jours this year.

Enjoyable brilliance

Fabian Coche (previously Coche-Bizouard) is one of the more forward-drinking producers in Meursault, meaning his wines can be enjoyed early while retaining both class and pleasure. The range – from the Meursault village lieux-dits to the 1ers crus Charmes and Gouttes d’Or – are all delightfully refined in 2020.

Real-deal Meursault

Stating the obvious is easy, such as saying that Coche-Dury is making great, enjoyable wines. But literally just across the road, one finds Domaine Sylvain Dussort, a small family estate making more robust, slightly older-school Meursaults.

The 2020s here are very good indeed, as the generosity of the domaine’s style complements the somewhat sturdy nature of the vintage. Sylvain and his daughter Anne-Caroline have done very well in 2020, and I expect this domaine to get more acclaim for its wines in the future – it certainly deserves it. Dussort produces dependable quality that is reassuring in this world of change.

Remy Jobard rising

During the last decade or so, Domaine Remy Jobard has improved quality remarkably, and is now close to equalling the wines from Antoine Jobard. Some years suit Antoine better, but the 2020 vintage seems to play well with the Remy Jobard style. This is top-end Meursault – like Fabian Coche and Antoine Jobard – although not quite reaching the star producers (you know who) in fame or glory.

The Blagny treat – Matrot

Domaine Matrot has mastered the Blagny vineyards to perfection, and furthermore, the estate style has slowly but surely been refined to match current market tastes. I found the red Blagny La Pièce Sous le Bois a true treat if you want to understand and enjoy great red Meursaults – even the ones called Volnay Santenots!

Benjamin Leroux’s class

Benjamin Leroux has always (since 2007 or so) excelled at producing delightful Meursaults and other great whites (and reds for that matter). Finding perfect phenolic ripeness, combined with his passion for understanding the terroirs, is paying dividends. The white Meursault Blagnys here are certainly an area to explore – and don’t wait!

One of the greats

Domaine Héritiers du Comte Lafon is one of the top big, charismatic estates in Meursault. Regardless of who served the wines at the Grands Jours, I must thank Léa Lafon (Dominique’s daughter) and Pierre Lafon (nephew) for attending and tantalizing my palate with some fine 2019s. Merci!

One can prefer the white 2020s to the 2019s (although the ’19s are much better than I initially thought), and tasting the Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre 2019 was a treat from the gods. With such liveliness and airiness, I thought: I do not deserve this. But then again, why not?!

And thus was the end of the Grands Jours de Bourgogne 2020 – held in 2022! I am already looking forward to the 2022 Grands Jours – in 2024?