2008 Louis Latour Meursault-Charmes Premier Cru 750 ml

Down into the Catacombs of Louis Latour’s Château Corton Grancey 

There were four extraordinary Chardonnay vintages in Burgundy in the last dozen years. Among them, 2005 will be remembered for its structure and focus. 2010 and 2014 will always be recalled for their juicy minerality. But if we were to pick just one vintage that we continue to find most enchanting, it would be the hair-raising growing season of 2008, one that gave birth to some of the richest, most sinewed, and longest-lived Meursaults since 1978.

The First Growths of Meursault begin at the very top of the Côte de Beaune, with the highly muscled Chardonnays of Blagny La Pièce Sous Le Bois. Trek down the limestone slope, and you find yourself amidst the beaming rows of the Meursault’s most priceless crus — Meursault Perrières and its neighbor, Meursault-Charmes. Charmes is divided into two parts, separated by a narrow tractor path.

There was a time when the top part of Charmes (“du Haut”) was a First Growth, while the bottom half was actually a Third Growth. We heard the story in the perfect setting from the perfect source — at Château Corton Grancey’s tasting table with Bernard Retornaz, the Louis Latour exec whose historical understanding of the wines of Meursault is unsurpassed.

“Burgundy is full of these inside deals that once seemed inconsequential, but are now worth their weight in gold,” Bernard said. “Every grower in the village knows that the top portion of Charmes enjoys far better drainage than the bottom. But one year, the story goes, a guy who tended rows on the bottom part of Charmes convinced the mayor and others that it would be far simpler if Charmes became a single cru. All this ‘du Haut’ and ‘du Bas’ business was far too complicated, right?” Bernard winked.

During another three-hour afternoon tasting back in June, Louis-Fabrice Latour rolled out the tapis rouge for WineAccess, treating us to an exhaustive tasting of 22 white Burgundies from 2008. The top three wines of the morning, in order: The Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, the Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets, and the exquisite Meursault-Charmes, drawn from a handful of rows set above that narrow tractor path!

The 2008 Louis Latour Meursault-Charmes Premier Cru is a masterpiece, from one of the most extraordinary Chardonnay vintages since 1978. Brilliant golden-green to the rim, infused with complex aromas of baked apple, lemon curd, apricot pit, and quince. Richly textured on the attack with superb mineral cut, filled with a mouthwatering mix of ripe lemon, apple/pear, and honeysuckle, with a high-toned finish that lingers for 30-45 seconds on the back palate.

After the tasting, Bernard led us back down into the catacombs of Corton Grancey, where the last 252 bottles of the magnificent 2008 Meursault-Charmes Premier Cru (“du Haut”) were glistening with cold sweat. We took them all on the spot.

91 points from Wine Spectator. Compared to $105 — if one could even find a bottle stateside. Just $59 today for a fortunate few. 21 cases are up for grabs.