Smitten with Tete de Murger!

One of the joys of drinking wine is its capacity to evoke happy memories as well as titillate the senses. Patrick Javillier's Meursault Cuvee Tete de Murger is one such wine that did both in spades. Bought in 2005 during a visit to Meursault, the 2001 is not only the best white wine I have ever tasted, but it also evoked happy memories of a holiday in the Cotes de Beaune.

The wine is a combination of two vineyards, les Casse-Têtes and les Murgers de Monthelie. The Javillier website adds...

"This Meursault is born from a marriage of two vineyards: Meursault les Casse-Têtes exposed on the classic hillside of Meursault (between Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet) under the quarries – exposition east. Very little topsoil. Meursault les Murgers de Monthelie exposed on the hillside of Volnay exposition west. Height of 80 cm of clay on rocks of volcanic origin (Volnay)."

Having recently tried a slightly dried out Javillier Meursault "Les Clous" 1999, I was concerned that the 2001 might be over the hill. So, I was both pleasantly surprised at the sheer quality of this wine and relieved at the fact that a £50 bottle had not gone to waste!

So what did this elixir taste like? My slightly cringy verbose note is below (the wine must have gone to my head!)...

• Appearance:Light straw & lime
  
• Nose:Beguiling, Meursault on steroids yet delicate too with white pepper, passion fruit, lots of toasty oik but balanced with light tropical fruit. The best facet of any wine I have ever tried!
  
• Palette:Showing some age as fruit no longer primary. Rich oak overtones complement syrupy pineapple & white pepper finish of Werthers Originals!
  
• Conclusion: A truly incredible & memorable wine 4* 10/10