Les Caillerets (1er Cru, Meursault)

Les Caillerets sits on the lower slopes of the Côte d'Or at a rare geographic meeting point where Meursault, Volnay, and Monthelie all converge. This boundary position is significant: the larger Les Caillerets climat immediately to the north is classified as Volnay Premier Cru, making the Meursault parcel essentially a southern extension of that storied vineyard. The southeast-facing aspect gives the site good morning sun exposure while the sheltered position moderates the temperate continental climate.

• Commune boundary position between Meursault, Volnay, and Monthelie
• Southeast aspect on lower Côte d'Or slopes
• Contiguous with the Volnay Premier Cru Les Caillerets to the north
• Sheltered location within the broader Côte de Beaune landscape

The vineyard name tells the story of the terroir directly: 'caille' means pebble in French, and the soils here are famously stony, crumbly, and red in color with an exceptionally high iron content over a limestone base. This iron-rich, well-drained substratum is unusual within Meursault, where most Premier Crus express a creamier, more chalk-driven minerality. The stoniness promotes excellent drainage and forces vine roots deep in search of water, contributing to the intensity and precision that define the wines from this site. Both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown here, one of only a handful of Meursault vineyards licensed to produce red wine under the Meursault appellation title.

• Red, stony soils with high iron content over limestone bedrock
• Exceptional drainage due to crumbly, pebbly structure
• One of very few Meursault vineyards producing Pinot Noir under the Meursault title
• Iron-rich character distinguishes the terroir from more chalk-dominant Meursault plots

Whites from Les Caillerets display the mineral precision typical of iron-rich limestone soils: white flowers, hazelnut, and toasted notes integrate with a taut, stony minerality that sets them apart from the broader, more buttery style of many Meursault Premier Crus. The reds, produced in even smaller quantities, reflect the proximity to Volnay with a delicate, fragrant Pinot Noir character on soils very similar to those of their Volnay neighbors. The vineyard's tiny size means production is extremely limited, and bottles rarely appear on the open market in significant numbers.

• Whites show white flowers, hazelnut, toasted oak, and iron-edged minerality
• More precise and taut than the typical creamy Meursault style
• Reds carry Volnay-like fragrance due to shared terroir at the commune boundary
• Extremely limited production due to the one-hectare total area

Given the vineyard's one-hectare footprint, only a handful of producers hold parcels here. Domaine Coche-Dury is the most celebrated name associated with the site, and any Meursault Premier Cru from that domaine commands significant secondary market attention. Domaine François Mikulski, Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot, and négociant Olivier Leflaive also produce wines from this climat. All releases are produced in tiny quantities, and the vineyard's relative obscurity outside specialist circles means pricing, while elevated, has not always reached the heights of more famous Meursault Premier Crus.

• Domaine Coche-Dury: most prestigious name associated with the site
• Domaine François Mikulski: respected Meursault specialist
• Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot: Côte de Beaune family domaine
• Olivier Leflaive: major Puligny-based négociant with Meursault holdings