At a glance

Producer

Domaine Caillot

Region

Meursault, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France

Grape variety

Chardonnay

Wine type

White

Body

Full-bodied and Smooth

Sweetness

Dry

Typical price

$85–$140 (USD, secondary market; limited availability)

Tasting profile

Golden to deep gold color; aromas of roasted nuts, honey, dried apricot, browned butter, lemon peel, hazelnut, possible oxidative/lees notes.

Evolution: Highly mature, prominent tertiary and oxidative tones; diminished primary fruit; likely softer acids, honeyed palate, possible sherry-like complexity.

At peak: Previously elegant, rich Meursault showing hazelnut, toast, and ripe orchard fruit. Now tertiary-driven, with best bottles offering nutty, honeyed, and mineral notes, but with fading freshness.

Structure

Acidity

Medium–Low (will have softened, possibly lower freshness in 2024)

Tannins

N/A (white wine, minimal phenolic grip)

Alcohol

Medium (typically 13–13.5%)

Aging potential

Initially robust, now past typical peak for Meursault 1er/lieu-dit from 2003 vintage

Drinking window

Peak drinking

2012 to 2033

Optimal window

2009 to 2036

Current status

Ready to drink

Current condition

Drink now; may be fragile with notable oxidation depending on storage

2003 was a hot, early-ripening year in Burgundy, favoring relatively early maturing whites. Most Meursaults from this era peaked 7–12 years after vintage. At 21 years old, this wine is beyond optimal maturity; best-case bottles retain some complexity, though many will show marked oxidation and loss of vibrancy.

Food pairing

Lobster Thermidor, roasted poultry with morel cream sauce, mature Comté or Gruyère, or simply enjoyed as a contemplative, after-dinner wine.

Serving

Decant

Not required

Sustainability

Sustainability score: 4/10

Traditional Burgundy estate; limited mechanization, some grass cover in vines; no comprehensive data on reduced chemical use, water or energy efficiency, or eco-packaging. No evidence of advanced sustainability initiatives or major environmental certifications; classic cork closure, standard glass bottles.

Domaine Caillot is a small, traditionally run estate typical of Meursault, with no known sustainability certifications or widely published eco-initiatives. Practices are in line with ‘standard’ responsible viticulture in the region prior to the broader adoption of sustainability measures seen in the 2010s. Transport to international markets increases carbon footprint. Thus, the wine is below average by current global sustainability standards, though not unusually poor for small Burgundy producers of this era.