Tag Archives: Mercurey

60 Second Wine Review — Ch. de Mercey En Sazenay

Some quick thoughts on the 2012 Château de Mercey Mercurey 1er cru En Sazenay.

The Geekery

Château de Mercey is owned by the merchant house of Antonin Rodet that was founded in the Mercurey region of the Côte Chalonnaise in 1875. In addition to producing wines under their own label and Ch. de Mercey, they also own Château de Rully (based around the AOC of the same name) and Domaine de la Bressande (based in Mercurey).

In his book, The Wines of Burgundy, Master of Wine Clive Coates notes that under enologist Nadine Gublin, Antonin Rodet has become a source for highly reliable wines in the Côte Chalonnaise. Though the current winemaker appears to be Anne-Laure Hernette.

The premier cru vineyard of Sazenay in Mercurey covers 118 acres in the heart of the commune. The lieu-dit that Ch. de Mercey owns is sustainably farmed and contains 50+ year old vines planted in sandy clay-limestone soils. Other estates that produce wine from this premier cru includes Château de Chamirey (Wine Searcher Ave $39), Jean-Michel & Laurent Pillot (Ave $35) and Domaine Hugues et Yves de Suremain (Ave $34).

The wine spent 12 months aging in 25% new oak.

The Wine

Medium intensity nose–a mix of red cherries with oak spice and smoke.

https://www.bourgogne-wines.com/our-wines-our-terroir/all-bourgogne-wines/mercurey,2459,9254.html?&args=Y29tcF9pZD0xNDUyJmFjdGlvbj12aWV3RmljaGUmaWQ9MzQ4Jnw%3D

The Sazenay 1er highlighted in the commune of Mercurey. Photo courtesy of www.bourgogne-wines.com

On the palate, the cherries come through with some raspberry fruit and taste very fresh with medium plus acidity. The smoke leaves but oak spice is still prevalent and gets more defined as cinnamon and clove with a little star anise. Medium body and medium tannins with a moderate finish that has some minerality.

The Verdict

The Mercurey region in the Côte Chalonnaise is often a go-to source for value in Burgundy and this bottle of Ch. de Mercey hold that to be true. At around $35 it offers a good amount of character and complexity that is difficult to find in under $50 red Burgundies.

This wine would particularly star on the table with poultry and smoked salmon.

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60 Second Wine Reviews – Levert Freres Cremant Bourgogne

A few quick thoughts on the sparkling 2013 Levert Freres Cremant de Bourgogne Brut.

The Geekery

An old estate dating back to 1595 in the commune of Mercurey in the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy. Today it is part of the Compagnie Vinicole de Bourgogne based in Chagny with Gabriel Picard managing and David Fernez making the wine.

Sourced from around 22 acres (9 ha) of vineyards in Mercurey, the 2013 vintage is a blend of 42% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot noir and 20% Gamay. The wine spent 24 months on the lees. This is far beyond the minimum 9 months currently required for Cremant de Bourgogne and is inline with the aging required for the upcoming prestige Cremant ranking of Crémant de Bourgogne Eminent that was announced in 2016.

The Wine

Medium plus intensity aromatics. Lots of fresh citrus with some subtle toastiness underneath. It smells like a freshly baked lemon roll with a glazed puff pastry. Underneath there is a white floral component that adds complexity.

The back label of the Levert Freres

The palate features a smooth mousse but it is quite dry. I couldn’t find the exact dosage but I would estimate it in the 7-8 g/l range, making it a legit Brut and a very well balanced one at that. The freshness from the nose carries over and it is quite lively and immensely charming. The floral notes are more pronounce and strike me more as daisy petals versus lillies.

The Verdict

Charming is the reoccurring theme. It’s certainly simple but it has enough character to engage the senses and is a bottle that can be happily shared (and emptied!) at any setting. At around $15 dollars, it is an excellent buy but this bottle could easily hold its own against other wines up to the $20 range.

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