2017 Meursault Clos du Cromin by Ropiteau Frères seized “Wine of the Year,” alongwith “Best in show by Country (France), “Best in show by Varietal (Chardonnay), “Best wine by Quality” and a Double Gold at the 2019 China Wine Competition held in Shanghai on 4 November2019.

2017 Meursault Clos du Cromin comes with a gold hue and aromas of white blossoms. The palate of this 100% Chardonnay is fat at first, which then opens up to a beautiful minerality. 2017 Meursault Clos du Cromin has got a lovely structure, with well-integrated oak and is powerful on the finish.

The namesake Meursault, is an appellation from the Côte de Beaune. The vineyards are located to the south of Beaune and cover a surface area of 395,84 hectares. Meursault is best known for its white wines which represent 95% of production.

The grapes for 2017 Meursault Clos du Cromin were harvested from different vineyards located both on the flatlands and on the slopes. The vines enjoy southern and south-eastern exposure and the subsoil is mainly composed of clay and limestone. 

The grapes were hand-picked and sorted manually as soon as they arrived at Ropiteau Frères. Vinification and ageing took place in wooden barrels with a proportion of 20% new oak. The aging potential of 2017 Meursault Clos du Cromin is 8-10 years. 

2017 Meursault Clos du Cromin is usually served at 12 to 14°C & it tastes best with lobster, crayfish, poultry or veal in cream sauce, foie gras and blue cheese.

The winery, Ropiteau Frères has an interesting history. 

When France was undergoing a revolution in 1848 - the provinces, less affected than Paris, became a melting pot where people came together to build a modern world in peace & fraternity. In the same year, the arrival of the railway in Burgundy enkindled Jean Ropiteau to found his Wine Merchant House with his brothers-in-law. At only 24 years old this young man, whose Burgundian roots date back to the XVIth century, very quickly foresaw this means of transportation as a way of promoting the wines of Burgundy. 

At the beginning of the 20th century the House kept on expanding but remained faithful to its values. In 1940, Jean Ropiteau’s great-grandson, Auguste Ropiteau, purchased the current Meursault cellars. The same year he also bought a pluricultural property of the Hospices de Beaune for a pittance, as the time was hardly favourable for selling wine. This acquisition was such a success that today the name Ropiteau Frères has become synonymous with the “grand” Meursault.

To evaluate the entrants, the China Wine Competition invites a leading panel of top-level wine industry experts where wines are judged on the three parameters of Quality, Value, and Packaging. 

To check out other winners, click here.

To know more about the competition, click here.

About the organizers

The China Wine Competition is organized by Beverage Trade Network. Beverage Trade Network is a leading platform helping beverage professionals connect with peers and better understand the global business landscape will lead to overall long term growth of the independent adult beverage industry. Along with China Wine Competition, BTN has also organized other successful competitions such as London Wine Competition, London Spirits Competition, London Beer Competition, Sommelier’s Choice Awards, and Bartender’s Spirits Awards. BTN also owns BevRoute, a magazine for Importers and Distributors and runs a lineup of trade shows around the world which includes USA Trade Tasting in New York, IBWSS UK in London and IBWSS China in Shanghai,  IBWSS USA in San Francisco, Cannabis Drinks Expo and are also the organizers of the upcoming Cannabis Food Show.