Domaine Ballot-Millot : Meursault Village "Les Narvaux" 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes of the Meursault Village "Les Narvaux" 2023 from Domaine Ballot-Millot

Tasting

Colour
In its youth, this white wine reveals a beautiful green-gold hue that will tend towards canary yellow as it evolves.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet stands out for its purity and freshness. It exudes scents of white flowers, such as acacia, mingled with notes of Granny Smith apple and lemon zest. Subtle smoky and mineral touches, along with a delicately integrated oakiness, perfect this complex ensemble.

Palate
With a lovely concentration, the palate offers remarkable tension and vibrant energy. Citrus flavours intertwine with an intense saline minerality, leading to a tonic, precise finish of great purity.

Food and wine pairing

This white wine will pair wonderfully with pan-seared fish with lemon, fresh oysters or dishes in a creamy sauce. It will also enhance roasted poultry, such as guinea fowl, or charcuterie specialities like the traditional parsleyed ham.

Service and storage

For an optimal tasting experience, it is recommended to serve this wine at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. Although it can be enjoyed in its youth for its liveliness, it possesses a fine structure that will allow it to age in the cellar until around 2031.

The energy and mineral tension of a Meursault white wine

The estate

While the family's winemaking history began in 1630, the official founding of Domaine Ballot-Millot dates back to the early 18th century. Located in Meursault, at the heart of Burgundy, this family-owned estate now spans around ten hectares. Since the 2000s, Charles Ballot has been at the helm of the estate, succeeding his father Philippe. Under his leadership, the vineyard has taken a decisive turn towards sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices. The estate is now renowned for its precise, taut wines that are deeply marked by their terroir.

The vineyard

This wine comes from the famous lieu-dit "Les Narvaux", located on the heights of the Meursault appellation. Rising to between 280 and 320 metres in altitude, this terroir benefits from a cooler climate that allows for slow grape ripening. The vines, aged between 40 and 60 years, thrive on east and southeast-facing slopes, resting on white limestone soils that give the wine its distinctive mineral signature.

The vintage

The year 2023 was marked by uncertain weather conditions and a general rise in temperatures. Despite these meteorological challenges, the growing cycle allowed for the harvest of berries that retained excellent freshness and vibrant acidity, essential for the balance of the region's white wines.

Winemaking and aging

After rigorous manual sorting directly in the vineyard, the grapes undergo a long, gentle pressing. The must then ferments slowly in oak barrels at low temperature, without any stirring of the lees, in order to preserve the purity of the aromas. Ageing takes place first for twelve months in oak barrels (10 to 20% of which are new), before continuing for six months in stainless steel tanks to refine its freshness. A light filtration may be carried out before bottling if necessary.

Grape variety

This wine is made exclusively from Chardonnay.