From the atlas
Domaine François Mikulski
Meursault domaine working Chardonnay, Aligoté and Pinot Noir through still Burgundy and Crémant de Bourgogne.
At A Glance
| Home | Meursault, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy |
| Grapes | Chardonnay, Aligoté and Pinot Noir |
| Still wines | Bourgogne Côte d'Or Blanc and Bourgogne Côte d'Or Rouge |
| Sparkling wine | Crémant de Bourgogne |
| Vineyard work | Home produced compost, ploughing and environmentally friendly plant protection |
The Producer
At 7 RD 974 in Meursault, Domaine François Mikulski spans 8 hectares in Burgundy's Côte de Beaune. Chardonnay, Aligoté and Pinot Noir form the core grape varieties, with Bourgogne Côte d'Or Blanc, Bourgogne Côte d'Or Rouge and Crémant de Bourgogne in the range.
The domaine works across still white, still red and sparkling wine. Its Bourgogne Côte d'Or Rouge comes from Pinot Noir, its Bourgogne Côte d'Or Blanc from Chardonnay, and its Crémant de Bourgogne combines four grape varieties.
Place
Meursault is the domaine's home village in Burgundy's Côte de Beaune, with the cellar at 7 RD 974, 21190 Meursault. The still wines carry Bourgogne Côte d'Or in their names, while the sparkling bottle carries Crémant de Bourgogne.
These labels move between a Meursault base, the wider Côte d'Or designation and the regional Crémant category. The village name identifies where the domaine works; the bottle names identify the appellation or regional category of each wine.
Soil And Site
Fine alluvial river sediment forms the subsoil for Bourgogne Côte d'Or Rouge, and this ground is common on the lower part of the slope. Alluvial sediment is fine material deposited by water, giving the red wine a site described through lower slope position and sedimentary ground.
Story
François Mikulski's domaine began with its first vintage in 1992. That first vintage marks the start of the house's Burgundy production in Meursault, followed by a range of white, red and sparkling bottles. The founding date belongs to a domaine that now works Chardonnay, Aligoté and Pinot Noir through both still and sparkling formats.
Vineyards And Cellar
Farming uses home produced compost, ploughing and environmentally friendly plant protection, with a carefully preserved biological balance of the soil among the cultivation goals.
Pneumatic pressing and rigorous must settling begin the cellar work. Ambient yeasts ferment the sugars for 3 to 4 months in cool cellars held at 6 to 8°C in winter. The wines then age in oak barrels on lees for 12 months, using about 20% new oak, before fining. Lees are spent yeast cells, and ageing on them can broaden texture while oak adds oxygen and spice.
Wines
The range has three clear forms. Bourgogne Côte d'Or Blanc is a still white made from Chardonnay. Bourgogne Côte d'Or Rouge is a still red made from Pinot Noir. Crémant de Bourgogne is the sparkling wine, composed of 41% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir, 15% Aligoté and 7% Gamay.
The red brings tannin, the white is full bodied and supple, and the Crémant carries stony salinity. The bottles therefore separate by colour, grape variety and sparkling format, with oak élevage applying to the still wines.
In The Glass
Crémant de Bourgogne has crunchy apple and river stones ruling a sleek, defined palate. Stony salinity lingers through the finish, with bright acidity giving the sparkling wine a mineral driven line.
The 2024 Bourgogne Côte d'Or Blanc is bright and luminous with greenish highlights. Its aromatics move from marmalade and apricot jam toward nougat, marzipan and mountain honey. The mouth is full bodied and supple, with rich fruit and a thick pear and orange coulis. Black pepper and Sichuan pepper lead into a massive finish of zesty, peppery citrus.
The red varies by vintage. The 2024 Bourgogne Côte d'Or Rouge has very ripe tannins, the right acidity and saline persistence. The 2023 has focused, perfectly ripe tannins and wonderful acidity. The 2021 is fresh and sapid, with tannins so ripe that their presence is hardly felt.
A Bottle To Understand It
Bourgogne Côte d'Or Rouge is the first bottle to open. It is 100% Pinot Noir from 1.30 hectares, with one planting from 1929 and another from 1980, and annual production of around 6,000 bottles.
The wine spends about 10 months in oak barrels, then 2 months in tanks before bottling. It is advised for 4 to 5 years of ageing and with grilled meats. The bottle gives a single grape, a defined vineyard area and a clear ageing path.
Final Word
White wine yields are targeted at 45 to 50 hl/ha, while red wine yields are around 35 hl/ha.
Sources
- https://www.domainemikulski.fr/en/
- https://www.domainemikulski.fr/en/the-domaine/
- https://www.domainemikulski.fr/en/wines/bourgogne-cote-dor-rouge/
- https://www.beckywasserman.com/domaines/francois-mikulski/
- https://www.domainemikulski.fr/en/wines/bourgogne-cote-dor-blanc/
- https://www.domainemikulski.fr/en/wines/cremant-de-bourgogne/
- https://gismondionwine.com/tasting-notes/202409/franois-mikulski-crmant-de-bourgogne-nv/?note=41882