Buisson-Battault Meursault Vieilles Vignes | 2022

2022 was Burgundy’s driest growing season on record, but there’s optimism that the region’s old vines are mastering “survival of the fittest.” The harvest rebounded dramatically, yielding roughly 75% more fruit than the painfully short 2021s. The result? More wine, good quality, and, for the first time in a couple of years, the return of relative value. That’s exactly what you’ll find in this old-vine Meursault from Buisson-Battault. François Buisson is a fifth-generation vigneron, Today, farming more than ten appellations organically, following the new classic, hands-off approach in the cellar. A believer in no bâtonnage (lees stirring), the wine spends twelve months in oak (just 20% new) before settling in stainless steel, zippering up freshness over richness. This is a Meursault that’s taut rather than buttery, piled high with cold stones, thin yellow fruits, sourdough, and wintry grilled chestnut. It reminds me of the Roulot school of Meursault—precise, mineral, and quietly powerful. I'm not saying this is Roulot, but it's one heck of a value from the world’s benchmark white wine appellation. ~Allegra Angelo