2018 Philippe Bouzereau Bourgogne Blanc 750 ml

Philippe Bouzereau makes lush, archetypal Meursault in the area’s dreamiest property. Since taking over production at his family’s storied estate, in 2006, he has turned Château de Citeaux into much more than a pretty façade—it’s steadily become one of our top go-to white Burgundies. 

We were in Beaune at an intimate tasting when we got the chance to try his Bourgogne Blanc. Philippe poured us each a healthy sip, no spit buckets in sight. We had our eyes on the 2018 Premiere Cru Genevrières, a wine from the same vintage that had scored 95 points and landed on Decanter’s short list of best White Burgundies, so we hesitated before lifting our glasses. 

But from the first swirl of this Bourgogne it was obvious Philippe was no one-hit wonder. We knew on contact this would become a fixture back home, the kind of wine we keep cold and on hand at all times… 

The pristine fruit and judicious use of oak give this so-called basic entry the substance to rival many village-level Burgundies. At $22, it’s zesty, spicy Chardonnay that makes clear exactly why winemakers all over the world look to Meursault for inspiration. 

It’s super concentrated for a Bourgogne, with toasty almond notes and a piquant, lifting lemony acidity that refreshes like a walk in the grove.

The Bouzereau family goes back nine generations in the region. Philippe took over from his father, Philippe, Sr., who established this domaine in 1960. The younger Philippe immediately reduced the number and kind of interventions, switching to a sustainable farming style known as lutte raisonnée. In the cellar he started using indigenous yeasts. These changes led to purer wines and established him (not yet 40 years old) as one of the most impressive young vignerons in the Côte de Beaune. It shows in what profound balance he’s able to accomplish in such a modest bottling. 

While most of the Bouzereau wines come from a single climat of premiere cru vines, including the 95-point Genevrières, this offering comes from the same excellent 2018 vintage but hails from a sampling of vines across their holdings in several villages. 

The Meursault fruit brings a richness and roundness while the Puligny-Montrachet cuts with supremely elegant finesse and vibrant fruitiness. Grapes from Santenay and Auxey-Duresses (immediately west of Meursault) provide the gravity, holding the two big stars in orbit around each other so the rest of us can take in the pas des deux. 

It’s a dance we didn’t expect going in, which more or less stole the show that day in Beaune. But while it surprised us, we knew exactly how to respond. Because this is a show worth far more than its price of admission.