MERCUREY > BOUCHARD Ainé & Fils

MERCUREY 2017

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2022

Varietal

100% Pinot Noir.

Tasting notes

Visual: Nice purple dress.
Bouquet: Wild notes and red fruits flavours. Notes of underbrush and humus tinge with the age.
Palate: In the mouth, tannins are supple and silky with good structure and robustness. A well-balanced wine with elegant fruity scents.

Food and wine pairing

This wine will be ideal with roasted or grilled meats, light game in sauce and most cheeses.

Serving suggestions

Serve ideally at a temperature of 15-16°C (60°F).

Ageing potential

From 8 to 10 years.

Origins

Mercurey is a local appellation in the north of the Côte Chalonnaise. It comprises 32 Climats classified as Premiers Crus and covers 650 hectares, including 545 hectares of reds (165 hectares of 1er Crus).

The cradle of Burgundy winegrowing, Mercurey is one of the oldest terroirs and has always enjoyed an excellent reputation. The village owes its name to the Romans who, during their occupation of the region, built a temple to Mercury, the god of commerce and finance.

The vineyards are located between 230 and 320 metres above sea level. They grow on the marl and marl-limestone soils of the Oxfordian. To the east, limestone and marl. To the west, a Jurassic structure and a crystalline base covered with sandstone. A whole section of the vineyard belongs to the Bathonian. On these white and chalky soils, or red and clayey, the vines find a warm affinity.

Vinification and maturing

The Pinot Noir grapes are handpicked, sorted at the arrival at the winery and 100% destemmed before 18 to 20 days of maceration and fermentation in wooden vats under controlled temperatures and with punching twice a day according to the Burgundian tradition. The malolactic fermentation is 100% achieved and followed by maturing and ageing in oak barrels (including 20%) for around 12 months.

Vintage : 2017

In 2017, Burgundy succeed at both quality and quantity levels.

After many vintages impacted by the climatic variation, Bouchard Ainé & Fils recover with the 2017 vintage, a very satisfactory harvest. Not only because the volumes will allow to supply the markets but also because the wines already offer the desire to discover this very elegant vintage.

After spending the winter building up their strength, the vines profited fully from a very warm spring, with budburst in early April ensuring a head start in terms of the growth cycle that was maintained right up to the harvest. The plants progressed from stage to stage free from hindrance, and by mid-June, were flowering before rapid fruit set. An early vintage was confirmed.

During the summer, a few spells of heatwave alternated with more mixed weather.

However, ripening continued at a good pace and by the end of August, the first grapes were being picked, two weeks ahead of average. Harvesting continued until mid-September as each plot reached peak maturity.

Harvest started on the first week of September in Burgundy and ended on September the 30th in the late parcels. The grapes were in exceptional health and required virtually no sorting. Everyone was very enthusiastic about this fabulous fruit, its peak ripeness, and the volumes produced.