MERCUREY PREMIER CRU
EN SAZENAY 2024
Grape Variety
Pinot Noir.
Tasting notes
Colour: garnet red.
Nose: powerful with marked aromas of blackcurrant and toasted wood.
Palate: delicate mouth where the fruits are carried by silky and enveloping tannins. A wine full of richness, fruit and length. A delicious toast that needs some years to round off.
Food and wine pairing
This Premier Cru goes very well with roasted meats or with stews such as beef bourguignon, coq au vin or poched eggs in wine sauce ("Oeufs en Meurette"), terrines, cheese.
Serving suggestions
Serve idellay at a temperature of 14-16°C. (57-60°F.)
Ageing potential
4 to 6 years, even more in good storage conditions.
Origin
In the Cote Chalonnaise, birthplace of viticultural Burgundy, Mercurey is one of the oldest terroirs which has always enjoyed an excellent reputation.
Mercurey is a communal appellation which includes 31 Premier Cru climats. Located in the north of the Côte Chalonnaise, more than 90% of the wine produced under the appellation Mercurey are red wines. They extend on 596 ha, of which 143 are Premiers Crus. White wines are produced on 85 ha, including 13 ha of Premier Cru.
The village inherited its name from the Romans: when they settled in the region, they built a temple in tribute to Mercury, their patron God of commerce and financial gain.
The vineyard estate extends now over 21 hectares and offers 3 upper quality wines from the appellation of Mercurey. White wines: Mercurey (3 ha), red wines: Mercurey (7.50 ha) and Mercurey 1er Cru En Sazenay (1.75 ha).
This “lieu-dit” benefits from a southeastern exposure at an altitude of 250-280 meters above the sea level. It's one of the best exposure you can find for a vineyard, because it's the one where the vines will get the most sunlight. One other great advantage of this terroir lies in its being on a slope: vines get just the right amount of water and the amount of sunshine is optimum. Grown on a clay limestone sandy soil, the vines can give their best. There, the wines we get are deep and well structured, thanks to this ideal conditions.
Terroir
- Vineyard area: 1.75 Ha (2.47 acres).
- Vines age: around 51 years.
- Soil: Calcareous clay soil, deep sand.
Vinification and maturing
Our Premier Cru Sazenay is hand-harvested. The grapes are carefully sorted and transported in 16-kg crates to ensure optimal protection. Maceration lasts 14 to 20 days, including a 36-hour cold pre-fermentation stage before fermentation begins. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled concrete tanks, with daily pump-overs and occasional punch-downs. The wines are then racked into barrels (25% new oak) for an ageing period of 8 months. A light filtration is carried out prior to bottling.
Vintage : 2024
The year 2024 in Burgundy was marked by extreme weather conditions, with excessive rainfall and a significant lack of sunshine. These factors led to heavy disease pressure, particularly downy mildew, complicating the work of the winegrowers. Frost and hail also caused significant damage, particularly in regions such as Chablis and Auxerrois.
Yields were severely affected, with drops of up to 70% in some areas. The Côte Chalonnaise held up better, with more limited losses. Overall, volumes are well below the usual average, a reminder of the difficult harvests in 2021.
The late harvest necessitated rigorous sorting to preserve quality. Despite the challenges, the grapes harvested reached good ripeness thanks to a sunny spell in September. The reds stand out for their richness and concentration, comparable to great vintages such as 2010. The elegant whites are reminiscent of 2022.
Initial tastings reveal promising wines, with concentrated aromas and a fine structure. Although limited in quantity, this vintage promises to be a qualitative success.
