2018 Francois Mikulski Meursault Les Gouttes d'Or

Francois Mikulski inherited much of his Meursault domaine from his late uncle, Pierre Boillot. Mikulski worked for his uncle in the vineyards and eventually as winemaker for several decades before formally taking charge in the early 1990s. The Pierre Boillot label was used until Boillot’s death in 2004. After Boillot’s death all the wine began carrying Mikulski’s name. The 20-acre estate has Premier Cru parcels in Meursault and Volnay, and the estate also makes village wines. Of special note is the estate’s Les Gouttes d’Or and Les Caillerets Premier Crus. The Les Caillerets is a rare Meursault red wine. Mikulski produces about 4,000 cases a year, and Clive Coates calls him “an intelligent man with a biological approach to viticulture….These are very good wines.”

Les Gouttes d’Or is a 13.2 acre Premier Cru vineyard in Meursault, in Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune. Its name translates to “drops of gold,” and many wine collectors believe the vineyard produces wines that live up to that name. Located high on a slope, it is about the same elevation as the best parcels of Les Perrieres and Les Charmes. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “Les Gouttes d’Or “is classic Meursault, with a flamboyant, nutty, obviously rich, plump bouquet, and a super abundance of fruit.”

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.