The wines from Henri Germain are outstanding, and we have the perfect example today via the 2023 Meursault Charmes, which is a contender for one of the best ever. Henri Germain founded the estate in 1973 with a small parcel in Meursault Charmes, and today his son Jean-François works alongside the next generation, continuing a deliberately patient style built around organic farming, low yields, slow native fermentations and extended élevage. Charmes remains one of the cornerstone wines of the domaine, coming from roughly 0.6 hectares spread across six parcels, most of them situated in the prized upper section of Charmes-Dessus alongside Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes. The vines were largely replanted in the 1980s and grow on limestone and marl at roughly 850 feet in elevation, with a south-to-southeast exposure. The wine is hand-harvested, fermented with native yeast, and raised for around 22 months with only 20–30% new oak, no routine bâtonnage, and exceptionally slow fermentations and malolactic conversion. The 2023 is a particularly impressive Charmes, combining the vineyard’s natural breadth and richness with the tension that defines Germain’s style, showing peach, quince and citrus alongside orange blossom, hazelnut, almond and crushed stone. The palate is layered and satiny but never heavy, with excellent depth, rocky minerality and a long, persistent finish. This is a serious, classically made Meursault from one of the village’s most low-key, accomplished domaines, and a beautiful expression of Charmes that is among the very best of the vintage.
Jasper Morris MW 94-97 points! "Fine fresh lemon yellow. Showing the majesty of a really fine Charmes. What an explosion of fruit, you can see it all but it is really immense and not at all heavy. The finish makes one salivate. Hard to make notes when the wines are this good. And the fruit keeps reverberating across the finish."
Vinous Neal Martin 94-96 points! "The 2023 Meursault Charmes 1er Cru has a complex bouquet that is also quite sensual. Touches of orange blossom and quince, hints of hazelnut and almond percolate through with time. This is very harmonious. The palate is wonderful, delivering the weight and depth one expects from this vineyard. It's a little spicier than its peers with a persistent finish that leaves you wanting more. This is superb."
Wine Advocate (William Kelley) 92-94 points! "Fleshy and seamless, the 2023 Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes offers up aromas of peach, toasted nuts and apple blossom, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered palate. With good depth and tension but a charming personality, it will offer a broad drinking window."
Burghound 91-94 points! "An attractively layered nose combines notes of pear, apple, lemon zest and a touch of matchstick character, all of which is again trimmed in subtle but not imperceptible wood. The succulent and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors aren't as concentrated or powerful possess though they are noticeably finer on the sappy and balanced finale this is dry in the best sense. Lovely stuff that is really quite classy. "
2023 Henri Germain et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Charmes
2023 Henri Germain et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Charmes
The wines from Henri Germain are outstanding, and we have the perfect example today via the 2023 Meursault Charmes, which is a contender for one of the best ever. Henri Germain founded the estate in 1973 with a small parcel in Meursault Charmes, and today his son Jean-François works alongside the next generation, continuing a deliberately patient style built around organic farming, low yields, slow native fermentations and extended élevage. Charmes remains one of the cornerstone wines of the domaine, coming from roughly 0.6 hectares spread across six parcels, most of them situated in the prized upper section of Charmes-Dessus alongside Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes. The vines were largely replanted in the 1980s and grow on limestone and marl at roughly 850 feet in elevation, with a south-to-southeast exposure. The wine is hand-harvested, fermented with native yeast, and raised for around 22 months with only 20–30% new oak, no routine bâtonnage, and exceptionally slow fermentations and malolactic conversion. The 2023 is a particularly impressive Charmes, combining the vineyard’s natural breadth and richness with the tension that defines Germain’s style, showing peach, quince and citrus alongside orange blossom, hazelnut, almond and crushed stone. The palate is layered and satiny but never heavy, with excellent depth, rocky minerality and a long, persistent finish. This is a serious, classically made Meursault from one of the village’s most low-key, accomplished domaines, and a beautiful expression of Charmes that is among the very best of the vintage.
Jasper Morris MW 94-97 points! "Fine fresh lemon yellow. Showing the majesty of a really fine Charmes. What an explosion of fruit, you can see it all but it is really immense and not at all heavy. The finish makes one salivate. Hard to make notes when the wines are this good. And the fruit keeps reverberating across the finish."
Vinous Neal Martin 94-96 points! "The 2023 Meursault Charmes 1er Cru has a complex bouquet that is also quite sensual. Touches of orange blossom and quince, hints of hazelnut and almond percolate through with time. This is very harmonious. The palate is wonderful, delivering the weight and depth one expects from this vineyard. It's a little spicier than its peers with a persistent finish that leaves you wanting more. This is superb."
Wine Advocate (William Kelley) 92-94 points! "Fleshy and seamless, the 2023 Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes offers up aromas of peach, toasted nuts and apple blossom, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered palate. With good depth and tension but a charming personality, it will offer a broad drinking window."
Burghound 91-94 points! "An attractively layered nose combines notes of pear, apple, lemon zest and a touch of matchstick character, all of which is again trimmed in subtle but not imperceptible wood. The succulent and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors aren't as concentrated or powerful possess though they are noticeably finer on the sappy and balanced finale this is dry in the best sense. Lovely stuff that is really quite classy. "
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