The Bouzereau family is part of the fabric of Meursault, making wine in the village for seven generations. While today there are five domaines bearing the Bouzereau name, Domaine Michel Bouzereau et Fils is acknowledged as not only the best of them but also one of the top producers in the appellation. Their years of experience and connections have endowed them with some of the top plots in the top crus – as a result they craft some of the best, most balanced wines in Meursault.
Sixth generation vigneron Michel was able to expand the family vineyards he inherited, cementing the Bouzereau name as an authoritative leader in the region. Michel’s son Jean-Baptiste joined the family estate twenty years after his father took over and has been running the domaine since 1999. He has carried on the family name while continuing to make improvements, building a new winery in 2009 in central Meursault.
What makes Domaine Michel Bouzereau et Fils stand out is its emphasis on vineyards, both in their insistence on working prime locations and in the attention to detail of the farming that is carried out. The quality of grapes is paramount, hewing to the adage that only excellent grapes can make excellent wines. Soil health is a prime focus, as is maintenance of healthy vines throughout the growing season, with careful pruning and yield management. Jean Baptiste decided to start working organically in 2005 and has slowly moved toward biodynamic principles in the past 10 years, without seeking any certification, so only natural products are used in the vineyards.
Once the grapes reach phenolic maturity they are harvested by hand. The Chardonnays are slowly pressed and after 24 hours of settling, the juice is then transferred to barrels with the fine lees and no sulfur is used. Primary and malolactic fermentation commences in the cellar, always with native yeast, after which the wines keep on maturing on the lees until the next harvest, battonage is used only when necessary. At that point, they complete their aging in barrels or in tanks, depending on the vintage and appellation, for another six to twelve months. The last step is bottling, which takes place between November and March, according to lunar cycles. The wine is unfined and unfiltered and minimum S02 is added. Red wines are destemmed and undergo cold maceration. Fermentation is also done with native yeast, after which the wines age in oak barrels for about twelve to sixteen months.
Domaine Michel Bouzereau et Fils is a producer that fits perfectly with the Martine’s Wines ethos. Their family estate is ingrained in the history of their appellation, their sources are impeccable, and their style is classic. Jean-Baptiste is a humble, soft-spoken winemaker who chooses to let his bottlings speak for themselves. The wines call to mind a ray of light, shining with energy, length, and complexity, and so well-balanced that no one component overshadows any of the others.
