2012 Meo-Camuzet Frere & Soeurs, Fixin, Red Burgundy, France.
I confess, I’m a huge Meo fan, and I always buy these lower tier offerings every year and I was really excited to try the first of the 2012’s from this domaine, and they do not disappoint, and in fact are more charming and delicate than I would have imagined. The Fixin is poised, finessed and light on it’s feet with much less concentrated color and body than the 2009, 2010 and 2011 wines, but seems better balanced and radiant with lots of strawberry, tart cherry, mineral and spice shinning through, though I suspect it will fill out and gain density over the next 12 to 18 months in bottle. There’s no question Jean-Nicolas Meo is a star and having been mentored by Henri Jayer he became one of Burgundy’s blue chip winemakers, his estate bottlings are some of most prized wines in the world, including his domaine Vosne-Romanee Cros Parantoux and Richebourg, but I also love his lesser offerings especially his fabulous Marsannay and Cotes de Nuits village wines, like this Fixin. The 2012 Meo Fixin, from 25 to 50 year old vines on limestone and clay, starts with light floral tones, bright acidity, medium light body and a brilliant soft ruby hue in the glass, this wine is just hitting the street and is very young, but it still delivers wonderful purity and alluring fresh detail and polish, I would have expected a bit more hard edges, but this beauty came right out of the bottle with lovely presence and grace. The palate is as mentioned full of delicate fruits including red raspberry, cherry and strawberry, gaining a darker feel with air adding plum and cranberry along with hints of wet stones, saline, baking spices, cedar, a bit of pepper and touch of fine oak. This is really delicious Burgundy with classic Pinot Noir quality, it will not blow you away or does it offer a great value if you can find it, but it sure is a joy to drink, best from 2017 to 2022, though I doubt I’ll wait too long if a year myself!
($60 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive
