The 2009 Meursault shows attractive fleshiness and an open, accessible personality. Yellow stone fruits, citrus, flowers and spices are nicely layered into the creamy, expressive finish. This shows lovely persistence and roundness in a straightforward style best suited to near-term drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2012+. I tasted the 2009s with Jerome Faure-Brac, Drouhin’s head winemaker. Interestingly, Faure-Brac chose to serve these wines a touch on the warm side, so I could observe their strengths and weaknesses more clearly. It was a high stakes move, especially in a warm vintage. I am not sure I would have had the guts to make that decision, but it speaks of great conviction….and the wines came through beautifully. The 2009 harvest began on September 21st, quite late for the year. New oak levels were down sharply, malos were blocked on a number of wines and the estate did no batonnage. The wines were racked once prior to being bottled. Importer: Dreyfus Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770

A full-bodied, unctuous wine, packed with ripe peach and apricot fruit. The wood aging gives an extra sweetness to this rounded wine. It is nicely textured, with spice and a smooth, creamy finish.——R.V.(4/1/2012)—— 89