Description
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur, Meursault 1er Cru, “Santenots”
Okay, Burgundy lovers: Today we are breathing some of the most rarefied air in Meursault, but because it’s the stalwart Bitouzet-Prieur we’re talking about, this incredibly scarce Premier Cru gem is still reasonably priced. When it comes to elite-level white Burgundy, you can certainly pay more (the village has lots of high-wattage stars), but you will not get more than what Bitouzet-Prieur delivers, year in and year out.
This is the first time we’ve offered their Meursault “Santenots,” which is produced in such tiny amounts that only 100-300 bottles of it make it to the US each year. Today’s blockbuster is from 2016, an infamously “short” (i.e. low-production) vintage but a spectacular one for the fruit that made it to the finish line, and a few years of bottle age have only deepened and broadened the luscious fruit and crystalline minerality. On the one hand, I feel like I can’t hype this wine enough—but, at the same time, I don’t want to anger those who aren’t able to nab some for themselves. So, I’ll leave it at this: We can offer up to three bottles of this wine per customer until our minuscule allocation is gone. It is easily one of the best pound-for-pound Burgundy values we’ve offered all year, so act fast!
At SommSelect, we are Bitouzet-Prieur superfans, so acquiring some of this wine is like scoring tickets to an intimate private concert. The estate’s parcel of the “Santenots” Premier Cru adds up to less than an acre—0.2 hectares, to be exact—but it is situated in the best part of the vineyard, “Les Santenots-Blancs,” right near Meursault’s border with Volnay. This is a unique and prestigious site, planted to both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (the reds are labeled as “Volnay Santenots”), and, while it represents only a tiny fraction of Bitouzet-Prieur’s production, it may be the ultimate representation of what this legendary estate is all about: They’re based in Volnay, but may be best known for crystalline, wonderfully pure Meursault with a proven capacity for long aging.
François and Vincent Bitouzet’s family has been living and working vines in Meursault for hundreds of years and today, they hold what is probably the village’s single most diverse and impressive collection of real estate. The Bitouzets farm their narrow slice of Santenots with the same zero-compromise approach as all their sites in the village—organically, with zero chemical herbicides or pesticides. All fruit is farmed and harvested by hand. This restraint and patience is echoed in the cellar, where juice is vinified gently and slowly with modest sulfites and zero effort to expedite or simplify the process. The end goal is to produce a quintessential and classically styled expression of Burgundian Chardonnay that matures in the cellar for years while gradually deepening in aromatics and complexity.
Not long ago, we offered a spectacular magnum bottling of Bitouzet-Prieur’s “Perrières” Premier Cru from 2016, and, like the Perrières, this ’16 combines opulence and immediate drinkability with a structure that bodes well for cellaring. This is a ripe vintage, but this is also Bitouzet-Prieur, whose wines are reliably taut, bright, and full of energy. Santenots is described as their biggest, boldest Meursault, and we wouldn’t argue after tasting this ’16: In the glass, it’s a deepening yellow-gold moving to straw/silver at the rim, with powerful aromas of yellow apple, Meyer lemon, acacia honey, fresh cream, and wet stones that carry over to the silky, full-bodied palate. The trademark Bitouzet freshness and minerality keeps the wine lively on the palate and aromatic on this finish, and really, I’m hard pressed to think of a more deeply satisfying, full-body white Burgundy experience. If enjoying a bottle now, decant it about 30 minutes before serving at 50 degrees in large Burgundy bowls with—there’s really nothing better, sorry—your favorite crispy-skinned roast chicken preparation. This is a white to keep you warm and satisfied on the first chilly night this Fall and for many years to come. Enjoy!
