Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
I’ve been skeptical of Mercureys (except for de Villaine’s wines), which often seem to me to be stony and unexpressive, so this tasting was a useful learning experience. These wines were all well-made and nearly all good to excellent in quality, from villages to grand cru. The Mercureys were distinguished by exuberant acidity, matched by really fresh, flavorful fruit (except in the basic regional, which, we were told, had been recently bottled and shipped). Each of the three 1er reds was a standout, imho, at pricing between $30 and $40. The villages red and whites were also very good, at their level - I’d cheerfully serve any of them to friends with a light meal.
The Grand Crus seemed suitably grand, as well, although I didn’t get a good handle on the white. I thought 1ers stole the show, overall, however, because of their striking quality and value.
Blancs
Bourgogne Blanc 2013
Crisp, acidy, touch of mineral. Correct, tasty regional with character.
Rully Blanc “Les Thivaux” 2012
Good acidity, rather smooth and buffered, in a good way. Nicely-proportioned and pleasing in the mouth, more because of texture than flavor, which was also fine. My personal favorite.
Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge Blanc 2012
A step up in flavor complexity, with cinnamon and a more relaxed, refined texture than the Thivaux. Old vines 85 years, I think. Neutral wood? Very good; my first white Mercurey. For idiosyncratic reasons, I preferred the Rully, but this wine was praised by neighbors.
Corton-Charlemange Grand Cru 2010
I heard neighbors saying this was very good, but my pour was too small for me to get much out of it.
Rouges
Bourgogne Rouge 2014
Stony on the nose, stony in the mouth. Our hosts said this had been recently shipped and still unwinding.
Mercurey Rouge 2013
Big step up: good, biting acidity but no stoniness. Lean fruit but good. A pleasure.
Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge Rouge 2012
Nicely-proportioned with a tangy, zingy spine, more fruit, and rubby tannins. Really very nice. Older vines again, I think a lieu-dit within the Juillot AOC holding.
Mercurey Rouge 1er Cru “Clos Tonnerre” 2012
Bigger with more material and substantial fruit, again with that zingy acid spine. Very good, with some stature, class, and reserve. I’d expect this to develop nicely for several years, but fine now.
Mercurey Rouge 1er Cru “Clos des Barraults”
More generous than the Tonnerre, less held-in, more complete at this moment. Exuberant tannins, large, ample acidity again. Rocks and fruit. My personal favorite of the moment. A treat now, but should also age well, imho.
Mercurey Rouge 1er Cru “Les Champs Martins” Rouge 2012
Largest-scaled and most imposing of the 1ers, very well-balanced, with impressive reserve suggesting good things to come with the passage of time. Very classy. One to cellar or drink now slowly over two or three days.
Corton-Perrieres Grand Cru 2010
Big with cherry fruit, a hint of Hawaian punch (good); ample acids but less prominent than in the Mercureys. Everything well-proportioned, with size and throw-weight befitting a Corton vineyard.
I’d imagined the relatively restrained acidity here, compared with the other wines, was due to its generally riper Cote d’Or fruit, but my neighbor - an experienced taster - said there was too much wood in it for his taste. I didn’t detect overt wood myself, but the dialed-back exuberance of this wine now may be caused by a masking effect from some elevage in barrels. Anyway, I liked it very well, albeit I’m rarely a buyer in the GC market.
The Grand Crus seemed suitably grand, as well, although I didn’t get a good handle on the white. I thought 1ers stole the show, overall, however, because of their striking quality and value.
Blancs
Bourgogne Blanc 2013
Crisp, acidy, touch of mineral. Correct, tasty regional with character.
Rully Blanc “Les Thivaux” 2012
Good acidity, rather smooth and buffered, in a good way. Nicely-proportioned and pleasing in the mouth, more because of texture than flavor, which was also fine. My personal favorite.
Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge Blanc 2012
A step up in flavor complexity, with cinnamon and a more relaxed, refined texture than the Thivaux. Old vines 85 years, I think. Neutral wood? Very good; my first white Mercurey. For idiosyncratic reasons, I preferred the Rully, but this wine was praised by neighbors.
Corton-Charlemange Grand Cru 2010
I heard neighbors saying this was very good, but my pour was too small for me to get much out of it.
Rouges
Bourgogne Rouge 2014
Stony on the nose, stony in the mouth. Our hosts said this had been recently shipped and still unwinding.
Mercurey Rouge 2013
Big step up: good, biting acidity but no stoniness. Lean fruit but good. A pleasure.
Mercurey Les Vignes de Maillonge Rouge 2012
Nicely-proportioned with a tangy, zingy spine, more fruit, and rubby tannins. Really very nice. Older vines again, I think a lieu-dit within the Juillot AOC holding.
Mercurey Rouge 1er Cru “Clos Tonnerre” 2012
Bigger with more material and substantial fruit, again with that zingy acid spine. Very good, with some stature, class, and reserve. I’d expect this to develop nicely for several years, but fine now.
Mercurey Rouge 1er Cru “Clos des Barraults”
More generous than the Tonnerre, less held-in, more complete at this moment. Exuberant tannins, large, ample acidity again. Rocks and fruit. My personal favorite of the moment. A treat now, but should also age well, imho.
Mercurey Rouge 1er Cru “Les Champs Martins” Rouge 2012
Largest-scaled and most imposing of the 1ers, very well-balanced, with impressive reserve suggesting good things to come with the passage of time. Very classy. One to cellar or drink now slowly over two or three days.
Corton-Perrieres Grand Cru 2010
Big with cherry fruit, a hint of Hawaian punch (good); ample acids but less prominent than in the Mercureys. Everything well-proportioned, with size and throw-weight befitting a Corton vineyard.
I’d imagined the relatively restrained acidity here, compared with the other wines, was due to its generally riper Cote d’Or fruit, but my neighbor - an experienced taster - said there was too much wood in it for his taste. I didn’t detect overt wood myself, but the dialed-back exuberance of this wine now may be caused by a masking effect from some elevage in barrels. Anyway, I liked it very well, albeit I’m rarely a buyer in the GC market.