This feels a good time for Francois and his family. Their domaine, Buisson-Battault, is no longer the insider’s secret it was, known locally as a fine source of Meursault, but little known abroad. His reputation is now growing worldwide, and it is richly deserved.
There are two broad categories of wines here – though of course, being Burgundy, it is easy to find exceptions – those which come from limestone sites, Limozin, 1er Cru Genevrières, and those from soils with more of a clay influence, his Bourgogne Blanc and 1er Cru Charmes. While both terroirs have given excellent wines, in 2018 it seems clear that the influence of the limestone has added another dimension to the wines and they will be longer lived.
Francois gives his wines 12 months in barrel, around 20% new, before moving them to tank along with their fine lees for at least six months. He doesn’t use bâtonnage after fermentation, preferring the slow enrichment that comes with extended lees contact. We have now shipped the wines and they will be available for delivery from early July.
To order any of the wines here please email jack@robertrolls.com
Bourgogne Aligoté 2018
Always one of the best Aligoté we offer, it just seems to be on a different level. It comes from two sites, 0ne from 1935, the other 1977. One parcel gives rich wines, often with an extra degree of alcohol, while the other is always lean and fresh. They blend brilliantly. Just like previous vintages this is a little shy on the nose at this stage – but it’s a mouthful! Big, quite rich, and well concentrated, but tempered by racy acids and mouth-watering chalky minerality. Seems to have some of Meursault’s breadth and power, with Aligotés directness and freshness.
Meursault le Limozin 2018
If there was one white in this offer which could claim the title ‘insider’s secret’ it is this. Perched up next to Genevrières, its vines growing in just a few centimetres of poor soil over limestone, the Limozin vineyard is exceptionally well sited. Francois has some very old vines here, planted in 1928. The resulting wine is immensely racy and mineral, so tight it feels initially almost lighter than the Bourgogne, until the mid-palate when the wine begins to expand, showing orchard fruit around its mineral core. Great length and intensity, and a very smart buy for lovers of racy Meursault.
Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 2018
Honeysuckle and pithy citrus fruit. Mouth filling attack, this doesn’t have the mineral grip of some of the wines, though it isn’t short of freshness. Super length and intensity which really saturates the palate with flavour and concentration, feels classically Meursault, with breadth and depth.
Meursault 1er Cru Goutte d’Or 2018
Closer to Limozin than Charmes in terms of its terroir. Singular nose – blue flowers and dried herbs amongst the ripe citrus fruits. Glasslike texture, very cool and calm, tense yet effortlessly so. Zesty, peachy fruit leads to a racy, salty finish. Quite steely on the finish, structured.
Meursault 1er Cru Poruzots 2018
Another limestone site – that heritage seems clear from the first nose. But the Poruzots seems to combine the racy style of Limozin with some of Charmes textural depth, it soaks the palate and rings with creamy ripe fruit yet has the crunch of acid and limestone minerality in its foundations. Silky finish.