Domaine Merlin : Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2021

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2021 from Domaine Merlin

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a lovely pale gold hue with subtle highlights.

Nose

The nose shows fine complexity, with hazelnut aromas accompanied by citrus notes and delicate floral touches.

Palate

On the palate, this wine expresses remarkable power supported by a very pronounced minerality. The freshness and tension brought by vibrant acidity structure the palate through to a finish of very great persistence.

Food and wine pairings

This white wine pairs perfectly with fish in sauce, seafood, poultry in cream, and mushroom-based dishes. It also matches very well with fine cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

The Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2021 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 10 and 12°C.

A Mâcon-La Roche-Vineuse with exceptional minerality from old Burgundy vines

The estate

Founded in 1987 by Olivier and Corinne Merlin with the acquisition of the Vieux Saint-Sorlin estate in La Roche-Vineuse, Domaine Merlin now spans around eleven hectares. Based in the Mâconnais, in southern Burgundy, the estate practices sustainable viticulture, excluding herbicides and chemical fertilizers in favor of full mechanical soil work and hand harvesting. Their two sons, Théo and Paul, trained in viticulture and oenology, now take part in managing the estate, continuing the terroir-respect philosophy initiated by their parents.

The vineyard

The Mâcon-La Roche-Vineuse "Les Cras" comes from a parcel located on the southern heights of La Roche-Vineuse, at 300 meters altitude with a due south exposure. The soils have a very high content of active limestone, and are shallow and stony, giving the wine its distinctive minerality. The Chardonnay vines, planted in 1962, benefit from particularly rigorous viticultural protocols, including complete mechanical soil work with no herbicides at all, and hand harvesting carried out in early September.

Winemaking and aging

After hand harvesting, the grapes for the Mâcon La Roche Vineuse "Les Cras" 2021 are whole-bunch pressed. The must undergoes a light settling in stainless-steel tanks before alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take place in oak barrels. The wine is then aged for eighteen months in barrels of varying ages. After a delicate racking, a light filtration is carried out before bottling, without fining, in order to preserve the fullest aromatic expression.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay