Tucked away in a valley off to the west of the Côte d’Or, Auxey-Duresses is often passed over for famous nearby names such as Meursault and Volnay. But hot summers have turned these towns on the margins of ripeness into sources for real value.
Domaine Michel Prunier is one of the leading domaines in Auxey – they make humble, delicious, well-priced wines with early drinking windows. Today we’re featuring their Auxey-Duresses blanc, an overperforming, classy white Burgundy that’s floral, accessible, and delicious. Hide the label, and you’d guess a village-level Meursault.
Prunier’s Auxey blanc is unusually vibrant in 2018, a particularly impressive feat given the hot summer. The nose shows the classic white flowers and lychee of nearby Meursault, with additional lemon curd, stones and perfectly integrated wood (only 10% new oak).
In the mouth this wine bursts with richness and tension. There’s excellent sucrocité (the flavor and texture of sugar, but without the sweetness), followed by a blast of freshness. It shows excellent length, particularly for its level, and the texture is pure and clean.
It’s just about impossible to find Meursault under $50 these days. While this doesn’t carry quite the same complexity and balance as its famous neighbor, we think it’s an excellent value at $45. Serve with a creamy mushroom risotto.
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Prunier Auxey-Duresses blanc 2018
bottle price: $45