Description: Mercurey Les Montots 2024 | Domaine de Villaine
The 2024 Mercurey Les Montots from Domaine de Villaine is one of the most distinctive cuvées of the Côte Chalonnaise. Here, Pinot Noir displays a dense, earthy character rarely seen in this variety, with a vitality seldom encountered in Mercurey. The Les Montots vineyard plays a major role in this: this south-facing hillside is a warm and demanding terroir that shapes wines with a distinct identity, far from easy seduction.
Terroir and Grape Variety
The Les Montots vineyard benefits from a south-facing exposure that accumulates heat and accelerates ripening. The soils are clay-limestone with a high iron content, well-drained on the surface and deep underground. This mineral profile directly shapes the wine: it imparts a clean minerality and a slightly peppery tannic texture that emerges on the finish. The Pinot Noir comes from a mass selection originating in Nuits-Saint-Georges. This choice is significant: mass selection (propagation from the finest vines in the original plot) preserves a genetic diversity that commercial clones cannot offer. It contributes to the wine’s aromatic complexity and depth.
Viticulture and Winemaking
Certified organic, Domaine de Villaine conducts a hand harvest, with 60% of the whole clusters added to the vat. This winemaking approach imparts structure, freshness, and a slight spicy note that is evident on the palate. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in open tanks, without any adjustments whatsoever. The wine then undergoes ageing for 12 months in predominantly used oak barrels to round out the body and refine the tannins while avoiding the excessive oak influence of new barrels.
Mercurey Les Montots 2024 | Domaine de Villaine: The Sommelier’s Review
Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin
This Mercurey Les Montots has all the hallmarks of a wine with character. Rich and full-bodied at the same time, it offers complex aromas with an energy that is uncommon for the appellation. It is a sunny, distinguished Pinot Noir that deserves to be cellared: it will reach its peak drinking period between 2029 and 2036, with an ageing potential of fifteen to twenty years under ideal cellar conditions. When young, it should be decanted for at least an hour into a generous Burgundy glass. At the table, a medallion of braised venison or a hearty dish will do it justice.
The Nose
The nose opens with notes of morello cherry jam and cloves, carried by a hint of blood and sap. Noble leather already makes itself known, a sign of a wine with substance. The overall impression is assertive, almost vinous, with an aromatic depth that foreshadows the palate.
Palate
On the palate, the attack is full-bodied and dense. The texture is rich, with firm yet well-integrated tannins and that peppery character typical of the Montots terroir. A hint of mineral acidity balances the wine in the mid-palate. The finish is long and ripe, marked by spicy and slightly earthy notes. Time will gracefully refine this texture.
Mercurey: Everything You Need to Know About This Appellation
Mercurey is the main appellation of the Côte Chalonnaise in Burgundy. It produces red wines made from Pinot Noir on clay-limestone soils with nuances that vary depending on the specific vineyard plots. The appellation boasts several renowned premiers crus, but its village wines often offer remarkable quality at still-reasonable prices. The overall style here is more structured and full-bodied than in the neighboring Mâconnais region, with good aging potential.
Domaine de Villaine ’s Mercurey Les Montots exemplifies the assertive character of Pinot Noir, which here transcends the usual conventions of Mercurey.
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