Sarah Marsh is a Master of Wine who has began the Burgundy Briefing with the 2004. She writes comprehensive tasting notes from the barrel. She continues the work of her Master of Wine mentor Clive Coates while maintaining her own style.
In February 2019 she travelled to Beaune and tasted a vertical of Louis Latour’s Meursault Premier Cru Château de Blagny.
Exclusively produced by Maison Louis Latour, the Premier Cru of Château de Blagny is located high on the hillside overlooking the villages of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet. The altitude helps the wine’s acidity and gives a freshness that used to be considered ‘nervous’. Louis Latour receive the must from Domaine de Blagny, who farm sustainably and follow la lutte raisonée approach. This approach uses fewer chemicals less often than conventional techniques but is not certified organic.
Traditionally vinified and matured in small oak barrels, 1/3 are new oak and the rest are 1-3 years old. The barrels are blended at 8-10 months. It displays all the attributes of a classic white Burgundy showing opulence and a mineral freshness coupled with rich flavours that develop overtime.
Sarah’s tasting notes are below however, you can view the full article on her website here. Our current UK stock is 2017.
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2018
This has a rich citrus palate, but firm acidity; ripe with a good cut of minerality. It is powerful. 13.2 alcohol, but not a whit heavy for you feel the warmth the vintage, but it’s very contained. It is quite leesy with marked new oak, but this is not unusual at this point. It transpired the sample was from new oak and given this, it did not overwhelm. You sense the power and richness of the vintage, but it has a really good cut of dry minerality and freshness. Fair to say that in this hot vintage the situation seems to really assist the balance… be it from the acidity or minerality or both. Score 17.85
“Harvest started at end of August, but takes the family 10 days. And they stopped and restarted .. long and slow – one vineyard was blocked. And he has a small team. This year however it was picked before the Corton-Charlemagne which is unusual,” says Louis-Fabrice.
Jean-Charles. “1.2-1.5 malic – very low, but not as low as 2003 when the was zero… yet tastes fresh. 48-50hl/ha… top end of yields.”
(TA 3.4 & pH 3.25)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2017
November bottling. Fruity and expressive aroma. This is lively and juicy. Quite a slim texture. A joyful wine. Still quite a lot of oak showing, but this should mellow. Overt. Just nicely fresh, but sweeter acidity. Softer than many a vintage in this line up, but nicely balanced. It is very fruity on the finish too. A forward vintage for more immediate drinking. From 2020/21 Score 17.5
There was some rain which diluted the acidity. pH 3.4 and TA 3.4 after MLF
(TA 3.43 & pH 3.29)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2016
Elegant note of white flowers. Concentrated. Glassy. Good depth to the palate. Compact energy and dry salty minerality. Savoury and well edged. Excellent example of Blagny. Needs time. From 2023. Top notch. Score 18
“We didn’t get too much frost in Blagny. So we made 38 h/ha. Some of the Puligny was saved by a mist, protected by the rays of sun. While below on the slope in Meursault it suffered burning by frost,” says Jean Charles. “It is dense mineral and has salinity,” says Louis-Fabrice. “The pastry note is the Meursault and hint of nuttiness from the barrels,” adds Jean-Charles.
(TA 3.31 & pH 3.26)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2015
Fruiter than 2016 and also floral, but with slightly exotic flowers. This has an elegant freshness in this warm vintage. Not at all heavy. It has an smooth citrus finish with a hint of minerality at the end… fresh lift after a round middle. An elegant 2015 indeed. On par or a touch better than 2017. Score 17.7. From 2020, but not hurry at all…this will age nicely, but does not demand ageing.
Good example of the higher situation working well.
“2015 was a vintage for vines on the top of the hill Blagny, for Puligny Garenne and for Sous le Puits and the top of St Aubin, while lower vineyards can be heavier.. in Chassagne, Morgeots can be heavy, but Grand Montagne and Caillerets .. here you get the minerality,” says Louis-Fabrice
(TA 3.21 & pH 3.37)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2014
Brioche and light lime zest. Not entirely fresh though. It is delicate and pure and straight, rapier, but a bit dry at the end. Another bottle was brighter on the nose. It was not showing as well as expected. I expected more intensity.
“2014 is a mix of 2016 for density and salinity, with the yields and richness of 2015,” says Jean-Charles.
(TA 3.43 & pH 3.37)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2013
Light note of toast on the nose and a herbal leafy aroma. It is light bodied and fresh with a slight bitterness at the end – a pithy note. There is good acidity. Better than 2011 for sure. Actually I liked this more than I expected. Score 17. It is drinking very well now.
“A part was lost to frost and ripened late. Harvested October. Difficult weather rain and cold, especially for the reds,” says Jean-Charles.
“Here the higher place, may make it a little pithy and herbal, but attractive…,” comments Louis-Fabrice. “You see the same flavour in 2007.. we get the bitterness on a lot of 2013s,” he adds.
(TA 3.35 & pH 3.39)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2012
Very distinctive candied lemon aroma. Rich and dense. Much thicker texture. Developing very nicely. Polar opposite to the 2013. Here the acidity cuts well though the oily texture of the palate. This has the body too. Lovely now, but I am not sure how beneficially it will age further..not for 10 years, maybe for up to five. Score 17.70
“Good average for both colours. A good balance of maturity and youth. This is a food wine for me,” says Jean-Charles. “We had high dry extract in 2012, a phenomenon of concentration because of the small crop. Oidium and mostly mildew did a kind of ‘green harvest’ by killing some of the bunches in June, plus a dry and windy summer with a high level of ripeness and acidity (TA 3.69). The wine got a high level of dry extract which is important for the ageing potential.”
(TA 3.69 & pH 3.22)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2011
Last good crop before 2017. This is light and thin. It is fresh and pithy and has a salty note at the end. Maybe a little higher in the crop. The 2013 is better than this 2011 and so is the 2007. Score 15.5. Not a lot of benefit in waiting.
“Good an commercial vintage. A good in between vintage. An easy vintage. Now looking a little thin, but most already drunk, says Louis Fabrice.
(TA 3.43 & pH 3.21)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2010
Marzipan aroma both expressive and concentrated with an edge of roasted hazelnuts. This is delicious now. It is energetic. It has edge. Vital wine. Well defined. You can still wait. Still evolving. Excellent. Score 18.25. I would wait another 3-5 years. This is a keeper.
“You have the coolness of the vintage and the effect of the acidity of Blagny with the compact palate,” says Louis-Fabrice.
2010 (TA 3.74 & pH 3.31)
2009 (TA 3.39 & pH 3.31)
2008 (TA 3.79 & pH 3.29)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2007
Actually this has an inciting fresh citrus nose with a touch of new mown hay. This is silkier in texture than I expected. It is fresh elegant and delicate and pure. Lovely now. This a real surprise. It thought it would appear older and leaner. It’s better than expected. Very yellow still as well. Score 17
“The acidity is so high it has resisted oxidation.” says Louis Fabrice. “I am pleasantly surprised.”
“This may be a lighter and lesser vintage, but the low pH has really preserved this wine,” Jean-Charles.
(TA 3.93 & pH 3.21)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2006
There is an caramelised orange note on the nose. The palate is a bit better. It is rich… marmite… lacks a bit of acidity even in Blagny. It’s weighty and lacks energy. The second bottle has more of a honeyed note. It is a bit fresher maybe. Still rather toffee-like fruit, but it has more zip. It shows better on the finish… a bit sappy at the end… You can still find enjoyment in this wine with a meal, bearing in mind the vintage conditions, but it will not delight. score 16
“We learnt a lot from 2006 we should have picked before.” Even with the higher places, it is necessary to pick in good time….
Meursault-Blagny, 1er cru 2005
This has marked freshness on the nose. Lime notes. It is compact and tense and rich. You taste the salty finish. Power and richness and salty. depth of the palate. Excellent. This is drinking well now. But it will continue to age. Revisit in another 5 years…Score 18.25
“A hot and dry vintage … yet shows particularly well. not a vintage universally successful for whites…”
“Being up in the Côte it makes all the difference….” says Jean-Charles.
(TA 3.41 & pH 3.33)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2003
“Care with the temperature of serving…make sure it is cold,” advises Jean-Charles.
This has an undertone of toffee and creme brûlée and yet is much more interesting and fresher than you might expect. So fresh. It has stuffing, but is not too fat either (at 14 degrees!) They have become more focused with age and it has become a less ‘hot’ vintage. I think the ‘minerality’ is helping here. Score 16.75
“The malic acids was zero – never seen this before even in 2018,” says Jean-Charles. It was bottled in June 04… ie early and they were very careful of the CO2 levels at bottling – 1000 to keep freshness and balance and to not have to use too much SO2. No bâtonnage.
“25 hl/ha low yields, low acidity but focused. 14 degrees and a small acidity yet can age,” remarks Louis-Fabrice.
(TA 2.65 & pH 3.59)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2002
A very good vintage with lively acidity. Similar in style in a way to the reds and of similar quality. Not the most lovely summer – but the cool north wind in September helped.
This has a lime freshness and a note of honey. It is elegant with savoury, stoniness, sappy character. It has a light austerity. I like it. Perhaps the finish is not the longest. Modest finish. Still fresh. No hurry, but perhaps will not benefit from further evolution. It has a certain grip. Score 17.65.
“Even in the powerful vintage we feel this austere note” says Louis-Fabrice.
(TA 3.82 & pH 3.21)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2001
Wet cold and cloudy year. This is more oxidative… and savoury. Rather flat on the palate. It does lack energy. There is a notable salty savoury note, but lacks flesh and acidity. Score 15
Jean-Charles remarks the flatness and oxidation is due to the rot. The mould is responsible for high levels of quinone, an oxidative component, which makes the wine more susceptible to oxidation.
(TA 3.75 & pH 3.31)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 2000
This has a ripe aroma. It is ‘sweet’ juicy and rounded and charming. It is lighter and it has minerality through the palate. This is a good reflection of the terroir. Floral and fruity. A good surprise. Better than expected and therefore … maybe more interesting than the 99 in a way. A bit more concentration. Score 17.
(TA 3.32 & pH 3.22)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 1999
This has a good intensity of bouquet, there is some tension. It has a lime, lemon quality. It does have surprisingly good energy. Big harvest, so not a great deal of concentration, but so attractive… so very pretty. Score 17.
“It has always been like this a very easy commercial vintage with less power, but lots of fruit, while 2000 is more of a good sups,” says Louis-Fabrice. “They are both very characteristic of vintages in Blagny… very representative.”
(TA 4.03 & pH 3.19)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 1996
Somewhat deeper in hue than the ’99, but still relatively pale. Not a hint of oxidation. It is rich and nutty. Full and satisfying on the palate and showing fresh and balancing acidity. It is a mature, but fresh wine. Marmite and almost burnt toast and a touch of honey… an edge of bitterness. Gosh I like it a lot. Score 17.65
(TA 4.31 & pH 3.12)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 1995
This is much darker in colour than the ’96 and clearly oxidative. Score 15. I didn’t write a note as we were discussing why it was so much more evolved and tired than the 1996. Jean–Charles remarks that the ’95 had mould which gave attractive roundness. Lacked health.. some mould (botrytis) and this gave glycerol with an accompanying richness, and so the wine showed well to begin with, but became oxidative more quickly.
(TA 3.74 & pH 3.29)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 1990
Honey on the nose. It is powerful and intense. It is compact and has edge and freshness and at the end a puff of chalk. Large crop… but doesn’t show it. How impressive. I really enjoyed this wine. Score 17.75
“Blagny is full of respect for the vintage. The 90 is compact and full and the 89 is richer and softer,” says Louis-Fabrice.
(TA 3.60 & pH 3.16)
Meursault-Blagny, 1er Cru 1989
The is richer, but less intense on the nose than 90. Full, rich and generous on the palate..fuller than the 90 but also much less energetic and just a touch oxidative on the finish. Given it was a hot year, the wine it still attractive. You would expect it to be tired at this point for a warm vintage, but it is holding up. Drink and enjoy. Score 16.5.
(TA 3.65 & pH 3.32)