STEP 1: What is Meursault, really?

Imagine a glass of white wine that:

• Feels soft and oily on the tongue, like silk and cream.

• Tastes like baked pears, toasted almonds, and a hint of butter.

• Has a long, caressing aftertaste - like someone stroking you from the inside with a velvet glove.

Meursault, Verdejo & Me

This wine is made from Chardonnay, and it comes from the French village of Meursault, in Burgundy. What makes it special?

• Oak aging (usually in both new and old barrels)

• Lees aging (the wine rests on its dead yeast cells – “sur lie”)

• A natural elegance from the cool, chalky soil

So Meursault = Chardonnay + oak + lees + limestone = Soft, rich, mineral wine with a luxurious soul.

What does it do?

• It smooths out the wine, giving it a subtle creamy texture – like plain yogurt kissed with lemon zest.

• It adds bread dough, nut skin, or buttery notes – not loudly, but like background music.

• It enhances body and depth without making the wine heavy.

Used in both Meursault and Verdejo sobre lías, though the style and grapes are different.

Meursault almost always uses oak – but in elegant balance. Think: satin gloves filled with warm nougat.

Lees aging is the wine’s silk undergarments.

When the wine stays on its lees:

• It gains a soft, silky mouthfeel

• Adds subtle notes of dough, yogurt, almond

• Smooths the acidity, like lotion on the skin

STEP 2: What does “Sur Lie” mean?

“Sur lie” is French and "Sobre lias" is Spanish for “on the lees.”

Picture this:
After fermentation, the dead yeast cells (lees) sink to the bottom of the tank. Instead of removing them, the winemaker lets the wine rest with them for months.

STEP 3: Meursault vs. Verdejo sobre lías

STEP 4: What does oak do – and what does lees aging do?

Two techniques shape a wine’s personality - like makeup and perfume shape a face:

Oak aging is the eyeliner and warm perfume of wine.

Especially in new oak barrels, it brings:

• Flavours: vanilla, toast, nuts, gentle smoke

• Oxygen: helps wine mellow and deepen

• Texture: fuller, rounder, more layered

Meursault speaks in soft, low tones – a velvet monologue.
Verdejo sobre lías speaks brightly, clearly – but with a deep heart, if you pause and listen.

A story how I fell in love with two white wines.

Verdejo sobre lías rarely uses oak, but relies on lees aging for charm and grace.

Tasting exercise: Feel the difference

Imagine two white wines:

The first (Meursault) feels warm, rounded, kissed by butter and baked apple. It moves like heavy silk across your tongue.

The second (Verdejo sobre lías) is cool, citrusy, and direct, but then surprises you with a soft core. More zen, more linear, but not simple.

They meet in texture, but speak in different dialects:

• Meursault murmurs stories from a French manor with oak paneling.

• Verdejo dances through a sunlit Spanish plateau with lemon in her pocket.

STEP 5: How to taste with your whole self

Next time you drink white wine, don’t ask: What does it taste like?
Ask instead:

• Is it warm or cool in temperament?

• Does it feel sharp or silky?

• Is it direct or lingering?

• Does it speak like a friend, a lover, or a teacher?

Shall we go to STEP 6, where you choose (or imagine) a wine and we play with describing it through sensations, images, and mood?

No pressure to be "correct" - the joy is in the noticing. Are you ready?