Domaine Merlin : Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2020

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2020 Domaine Merlin

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a beautiful pale gold color, crystalline and bright, enhanced by subtle green highlights typical of a high-quality young white wine.

Nose

The nose stands out for its marked richness, power, and complexity. It reveals aromas of hazelnut, white peach, and pear, alongside hints of apricot, delicate citrus notes, and white flowers. This aromatic freshness reflects perfectly preserved natural acidity.

Palate

On the palate, the wine is very powerful, with exceptional minerality—hallmark of the terroir’s high level of active limestone. The texture is broad and rich, unveiling fine complexity perfectly balanced between alcohol, natural acidity, and minerality. The attack is fresh and precise, followed by a gradual build in power and aromatic richness. The finish is remarkably long.

Food and wine pairings

This Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2020 pairs ideally with seafood such as oysters, scallops, lobster, or langoustines. It also matches beautifully with grilled fish or fish served with beurre blanc sauce, poultry in a cream sauce, as well as well-aged, characterful cheeses. As an aperitif, it will be especially appealing alongside cheeses with pronounced minerality.

Serving and cellaring

The Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2020 can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve favorably through to around 2030. Its strong limestone-driven minerality gives it remarkable aging potential, allowing the wine to develop complexity and depth over the years.

A mineral, powerful Mâcon from Domaine Merlin in southern Burgundy

The estate

Founded in 1987, the Domaine Merlin now spans around 22 hectares spread between the Mâconnais and northern Beaujolais. Olivier Merlin, who discovered his passion for the vine during the 1977 harvest, took over the Domaine du Vieux Saint-Sorlin in La Roche-Vineuse after studying at the Beaune wine school and gaining experience in California. Alongside his wife Corinne, he gradually developed the estate around a philosophy of balance, purity, depth, and harmony. Since 2017, their sons Paul and Théo—graduates of the Davayé school and enriched by international experience—have joined the family operation. The estate practices environmentally respectful viticulture, with soil plowing for more than thirty years, massal selection, and hand harvesting. Recognized by the Bettane et Desseauve guides with three stars, Domaine Merlin embodies the winemaking excellence of the Mâconnais.

The vineyard

The Mâcon-La Roche-Vineuse "Les Cras" comes from a parcel located on a plateau in the heights of La Roche-Vineuse, at around 300 meters altitude, with a southwest exposure and a very gentle slope. The Quaternary clay-limestone soil is characterized by an exceptionally high level of active limestone, a pedological signature that defines this wine’s distinctive mineral profile. The Chardonnay vines, planted in 1963, show remarkable maturity at 57 years of age in the 2020 vintage. Planted at a density of 8,000 vines per hectare, they produce an average yield of 40 hectoliters per hectare, reflecting a pursuit of concentration and quality.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in Bourgogne benefited from favorable weather conditions, allowing for optimal grape ripening. The grapes were hand-harvested at peak ripeness, with selection carried out parcel by parcel to ensure the purest possible expression of the terroir.

Vinification and aging

For the Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2020, whole clusters of Chardonnay underwent a slow, gentle direct pressing, with no prior crushing. After light settling, the must fermented slowly in 228-liter Burgundian barrels, exclusively with indigenous yeasts. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally. Aging then continued for around 18 months in oak barrels, with measured use of new oak to preserve the wine’s identity. Before bottling, the wine was racked and lightly filtered, without fining.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay