Burgundy

Communal appellation named after the town of the same name in the Côte d´Or region (Côte de Beaune) in Burgundy in France. The total vineyard area is 364 hectares. A small part of the commune of Blagny is also included. The town is also referred to as the “capital of Burgundian white wines. The Cisterican monks received their first vineyard as a gift from the duke of Burgundy on Christmas day of their founding year, 1098, here in Meursault. Each year on the third day of the „Trois Glorieuses“ (three glorious days) the „Paulée de Meursault“ takes place in Meursault. This goes back to the tradition of a communal meal enjoyed at the end of the wine harvest (see also under Hospices de Beaune and Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin). Most of the wines produced are white wines made from Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, they are among the best in Burgundy, and are generally matured in barriques. A slogan of the town is: „Only those who drink Meursault will never become drunkards“. The red wines are made from Pinot Noir, with the permitted addition of small portions of Pinot Gris and Pinot Liébault. There are no Grand Cru sites. There are numerous Premiers Crus, with a total vineyard area of 160 hectares, the most important of these are Bouchères, Charmes, Genevrières, Goutte d´Or, Poruzot, Perrières (Grand Cru potential), Pièce sous le Bois, Poruzots, Santenots and Sous le Dos d´Ane. As a special feature there is an AC Volnay-Santenots Premier Cru only for red wines, which was established by a court order in 1924. However, confusingly, these vineyards are not located in the neighbouring commune of Volnay, but in Meursault. Alternative appellations are Meursault-Blagny Premier Cru for white wines from specified sites around Blagny, Meursault-Côte de Beaune only for red wines and Meursault-Santenots for white wines from Premier Cru sites in specified parts of Volnay-Santenots. Well-known producers include Ampeau, Bichot (Domaine du Pavillon), Bouchard, Boyer-Martenot, Coche-Dury, Drouhin Joseph, Fichet, Grivault, Javillier, Lafon, Javillier, Jobard, Domaine Leroy, Michelot, Mikulski, Morey and Roulot.