2020 Domaine Faiveley Mercurey Blanc

When we talk about Burgundy, Domaine Faiveley is one of the very best addresses. This is a large family business with approximately 120 hectares of vineyards, including famous names such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Pommard, Volnay, Puligny-Montrachet and Chablis Grand Cru.

However, it is also a family winery with 10 hectares of Grand cru and almost 25 hectares of Premier cru. The first step was taken in 1825 by Pierre Faiveley; his son Joseph turned the winery into a great top business and his wines became ambassadors of Burgundy wines all over the world. With a clear, elegant and striking style, wines are produced here without exception that meet the ideal image of Burgundy. “A winery of very high quality, which represents the full glory of French viticulture”, writes the famous wine author duo Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve in France.

Domaine Faiveley combines the principles of modern winemaking methods with the time-honored traditions practiced for centuries in their 19th century cellars. Each terroir and each vintage benefits from special attention that makes the cuvées unique. Each bottle therefore becomes the faithful reflection of its terroir.

This Pinot Noir comes from Mercurey, which is the largest appellation of Burgundy in terms of red wine. The area is located in the middle of the Côte Chalonnaise and in fact consists of two villages: Mercurey and St-Martin-sous-Montaigu. Legend has it that the village of Mercurey got its name from the Roman god of commerce named Mercury. It may also have been created by a Roman temple that once stood in the "Clos de Voyens" Premier Cru vineyard. Be that as it may, Mercury is today considered the most important village name in the Côte Chalonnaise.

The vines are planted on a soil of limestone and rock. The vineyards were planted in 1962, 1978 and 1981. Domaine Faiveley keeps the work in the vineyards under their own management, which gives them excellent control over the quality of the grapes. The hand-picked harvest is carefully transported to the cellars in Nuits Saint Georges. Cold peel maceration, followed by an alcoholic fermentation of 10 days, immediately followed by clarification. The wine is aged in oak barriques for 12 months, after which the wine is clarified again and for bottling.

The Mercurey Chardonnay from Faiveley is a very elegant Chardonnay with fruity and floral notes. The harmonious structure of this Mercurey leaves a pleasant freshness. Part of the wine has been aged in barrels for 16 months. This wine has developed beautiful secondary aromas of vanilla and cedar. ideal as an aperitif or with a meal.