Meursault: The Chardonnay Interlude

The Côte d'Or's great Chardonnay village - a palate-cleansing detour on your Pinot pilgrimage. Meursault proves that the monks' terroir mapping works for white grapes too. The buttery, honeyed whites here set the template for Chardonnay worldwide.

What to do there

3 things to do

1. 1 Taste at Château de Meursault Wine · Price: moderate

   The 11th-century château with the largest cellar tour in Burgundy.

   Book at chateau-meursault.com - tours from €35. The cellar holds 600,000 bottles under ancient stone vaults. Walk the full route (takes 30 minutes) before the tasting. End with their Meursault Premier Cru Perrières - one of the best whites in Burgundy.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Compare Reds and Whites Wine · Price: moderate · Optional

   Meursault also makes (rare) red wine - find it for a revelation.

   Ask any tasting room for Meursault Rouge. Very few producers make it (~5% of production), but comparing the same terroir in red and white is a sommelier masterclass. Domaine Roulot occasionally has it.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Walk the Perrières Vineyard Adventure · Free

   The Premier Cru that should probably be Grand Cru.

   From the village, walk south toward Puligny-Montrachet. Les Perrières is on the slope to your right - white stones visible in the soil (perrières = quarries). The stoniness creates wines of intense minerality.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• Meursault was supposedly Napoleon's second-choice wine after Chambertin

• The Paulée de Meursault (November) is one of the world's great wine festivals - bring your own great bottles to share

• Many Meursault producers also make Volnay (red) - ask to compare