Le Meix Bas
luh may BAH
A quiet Premier Cru in Fixin whose fruit almost always travels under its neighbor's name rather than its own.
Le Meix Bas is a Premier Cru vineyard in Fixin, Côte de Nuits, producing Pinot Noir at 350 to 380 metres elevation. Its fruit is nearly always blended into Fixin Les Hervelets and rarely appears under its own label. The wines are lighter and more floral than other Fixin Premier Crus, with fresh acidity and accessible character.
- Classification: Fixin Premier Cru, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy
- Grape variety: Pinot Noir exclusively
- Elevation: 350 to 380 metres above sea level
- Aspect: East to south-east facing slopes
- Soils: Brown limestone with marl nuances
- Alternate name: Les Meix Bas
- Fruit almost always labeled as Fixin Les Hervelets rather than Le Meix Bas
Location and Setting
Le Meix Bas sits within the appellation of Fixin, the northernmost commune of the Côte de Nuits producing wines of serious Premier Cru standing. The vineyard occupies slopes between 350 and 380 metres elevation with an east to south-east facing aspect. This orientation captures morning sun and provides good drainage, both important factors in a continental climate characterized by dry summers and mild winters. The position and altitude place Le Meix Bas toward the upper reaches of Fixin's Premier Cru band.
- Northernmost Premier Cru commune in the Côte de Nuits
- Elevation range of 350 to 380 metres
- East to south-east aspect captures morning sun and promotes good drainage
- Continental climate with dry summers and mild winters
Soils and Terroir
The soils of Le Meix Bas are brown limestone with nuances of marl. This combination is typical of the upper Côte de Nuits, where limestone-dominant profiles encourage good vine stress and concentration while the marl component adds a degree of water retention. The balance of these two soil types plays a key role in shaping the lighter, more floral character that distinguishes Le Meix Bas from heavier, more structured Fixin Premier Crus lower on the slope.
- Brown limestone base with marl nuances
- Limestone component encourages vine stress and aromatic intensity
- Marl adds water retention to buffer dry continental summers
- Soil profile contributes to the vineyard's lighter, more accessible wine style
Identity and Labeling
One of the most distinctive facts about Le Meix Bas is how rarely it appears on a wine label. The fruit grown here is almost universally incorporated into wines sold as Fixin Les Hervelets, its neighboring Premier Cru. This practice means Le Meix Bas functions as a contributing vineyard to Les Hervelets rather than as a standalone bottling. For students and professionals, the vineyard is important to understand conceptually as part of the Fixin Premier Cru landscape, even if encountering it as a single-vineyard label remains uncommon. The alternate spelling Les Meix Bas also appears in documentation.
- Fruit almost always sold under the Fixin Les Hervelets label
- Rarely bottled or marketed under its own Premier Cru name
- Alternate spelling Les Meix Bas appears in some official records
- Understanding its role clarifies how Fixin's Premier Cru topology is practically used
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Open Wine Lookup →Wine Style
Wines from Le Meix Bas are described as lighter and more accessible than other Fixin Premier Crus. Lighter, fruity and floral aromas are the hallmark, underpinned by fresh and invigorating acidity. This profile sets it apart from the more muscular, tannic reputation that Fixin carries as a whole. The combination of higher elevation, east-facing aspect, and limestone-marl soils all point toward a more refined, early-drinking style within the Fixin Premier Cru tier.
- Lighter body and more floral aromatics than typical Fixin Premier Cru
- Fresh, invigorating acidity is a defining characteristic
- More accessible and approachable than heavier Fixin bottlings
- Fruity and floral rather than tannic and brooding
Lighter Pinot Noir with fruity and floral aromas, fresh and invigorating acidity, and an accessible, approachable character that distinguishes it from the more structured Fixin Premier Crus.
- Fixin Premier Cru Les Hervelets (various producers)$40-70Le Meix Bas fruit is almost always included in Les Hervelets bottlings, making this the most practical way to taste the vineyard.Find →
- Le Meix Bas is classified as Fixin Premier Cru in the Côte de Nuits, planted exclusively with Pinot Noir
- Elevation is 350 to 380 metres with an east to south-east facing aspect
- Soils are brown limestone with marl nuances, shaping a lighter, more floral style
- Fruit from Le Meix Bas is almost always labeled as Fixin Les Hervelets rather than under its own name
- The wine is described as lighter, more floral, and more accessible than other Fixin Premier Crus