The 2020 Meursault Vieilles Vignes unwinds in the glass with aromas of pear, confit lemon and peach mingled with hazelnuts and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, rich and unctuous, it's broad, fleshy and gourmand, with a sweet core of fruit and a long, saline finish.

The 2014 Meursault Vieilles Vignes has a rather conservative nose, tightly coiled, but it is nicely integrated with the 25% new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, not complex though with a pleasant, light and slightly peppery finish. It was just rather outplayed by the Meursault Tessons on my visit, though hopefully it will offer more complexity after bottling.

The 2012 Meursault Vieilles Vignes comes from seven different parcels, the most important being "Les Pellans," located just under Meursault Charmes, a plot that includes some century-old vines. It has a reserved, mineral-led bouquet that is tightly wound at first, suggestions of Puligny coming through with aeration. The palate is well-balanced with good definition and well-judged acidity. There are fleeting hints of dried apricot, pear skin and cumin, segueing into quite an assertive spicy finish. This deserves two or three years in bottle. Drink 2016-2026+ Importers: Vintner Select, www.vintnerselect.com, Cincinnati, OH; Milton Road Trading Corp, LLC, www.miltonroadtrading.com, Napa, CA; Scott Paul Wines, www.scottpaul.com, Portland, OR; Martine-s Wines, www.martineswines.com, Novato, CA; Import Wines, Middleton, WI, Old World Importing, Inc., www.oldworldimporting.com, Eagle, CO. Also available in the UK from Flint Wines, www.flintwines.com, Latimer Vintners, www.latimervintners.com, and Roberson Wine, www.roberson.co.uk and Anthony Sarjeant.

The Buisson-Charles 2007 Meursault Vieilles Vignes – which received the same 14 months of elevage (close to 13 of them in barrel) as the estate’s single vineyard bottlings – now represents an assemblage from diverse and complimentary sites, most notably (from south to north) Pellans (adjacent to Charmes); Millerandes (a considerable distance below Poruzots); and Meix Chavaux and Vereuils (high up, in the direction of Auxey). The estate still sells their non-cru Meursault from younger vines to negociants. Linden flower, honeysuckle, fresh lime, and white peach inform a nose that could almost be that of a Riesling, and the delicacy and refinement of this wine on the palate is consistent with that impression. A subtle suggestion of creaminess, along with notes of lightly-toasted hazelnut, alkalinity, and wet stone – all of which emerge as the wine takes on air – pulls toward the classic Meursault axis. Persistent floral notes and a hint of bitter-sweet orange zest add to the allure of a refreshing and buoyant, if understated finish. To the extent that 15% new wood is evident – and I find a mere trace of resin and lanolin here – Essa’s opinion is that this should always disappear into the fabric of the wine within 2-3 years or else he has misjudged his regimen. (For the record, he rather unorthodoxly favors lightly-toasted Vosges oak barriques.) Expect this to perform well for at least 5-7 years. Catherine and Patrick Essa’s new reception, crush, and storage facilities are now completed and they have expanded through control of significant additional acreage in Les Boucheres and Gouttes d’Or. Patrick Essa's approach (like that of his father-in-law Michel Buisson) seemed ideal for restraining any over-the-top tendencies of vintage 2006, but the 2007s here are also very successful, if slightly less obviously imposing. Readers are encouraged to consult my report in issue 180 for further details on the approach taken at this under-rated estate that produces consistently age-worthy Meursault. A Thomas Calder Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29; also imported by Scott Paul Wines, Carlton, OR; tel. (503) 852 7300

Orange and lemon zest, brown spices, honeysuckle, and iris mark the nose of Essa’s 2006 Meursault Vieilles Vignes, assembled from two complimentary sites. There is a pithy, piquant intensity on the palate here (contributed by a parcel bordering Puligny) with faint bitterness nicely woven into a cream-texture and persistently juicy, bright lemon and peach. This is rich, yet animated Meursault, possessing palpable density, but also with lift. In keeping with an extended track record at this address, I have no compunction recommending that one cellar this for up to a decade. The estate of Michel Buisson – whose son-in-law Patrick Essa now takes the lead – crafts white Burgundies for the Riesling or Chenin-lover, offering clarity, refreshment, and minerality yet not stinting on richness or structure, and wines whose track record in the cellar is among the best of any Chardonnay-based wines in the world. Slow, vertical pressing, unhurried fermentation, largely non-new barrels passive lees contact (i.e. no stirring), and late (unfined, and usually lightly-filtered) bottling figure in the Buisson regimen. Although production is very small, some additional acreage will come on line (along with a completely renovated cellar) beginning in 2008. Predictably – and even though picking did not commence until September 22 – the 2006s here did not sacrifice clarity, refreshment, or mineral dimensions to the vintage’s ripeness or botrytis, and arrived at 13-13.25% alcohol. A portion of village Meursault tinged by rot and at 14% potential alcohol was sold off. A Thomas Calder Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29; also imported by Scott Paul Wines, Carlton, OR; tel. (503) 852 7300