Another new acquisition for Boillot; a small holding in Gouttes d’Or, which has produced three barrels this year. The wine reflects the site and the vintage, with aromas of ripe apple and spice, touched with honey and a substantial, lush texture on the palate that is balanced by fresh acidity on the finish. A great addition to the lineup. Drinking Window 2021 - 2029. (CC)

Aromas of pear, toasted brioche, white flowers and honeycomb introduce Boillot's 2019 Meursault 1er Cru Les Gouttes d'Or, a medium to full-bodied, ample and layered wine that's bright and precise, with more tension and grip than the demonstrative Poruzot. Guillaume Boillot began the harvest on September 6, as usual starting in Volnay. Yields were down, and alcohol levels ranged between 13% and 14.2%. "My father told me to frame the must analyses, as one couldn't hope for anything more perfect," he laughed. Whereas in 2018, Boillot was able to press all his white wines with a vertical basket press, in 2019 he reverted to a pneumatic press, explaining that even after foulage (crushing), it was simply too difficult to extract juice from the thick-skinned small berries that characterized the vintage. "Vinification intégrale," which is to say barrel fermentation of red wines, is still the order of the day for most of the red wine cuvées at this address. The other trend, which sharp-eyed readers will have picked up on, is a move toward more and more domaine-grown fruit: first came the Pommard 1er Cru Clos Blanc, which joined the range in 2018, and this year the Meursault 1er Cru Clos Richemont enters the portfolio. Boillot tells me that he has ambitions to continue this gradual transition. The 2019 vintage, in any case, is a great success, achieving both impressive quality and consistency, and these wines come warmly recommended. (WK)