Mercurey 1er Cru Le Clos du Roy "La Favorite"
The vintage
2021 is a rare vintage. After a classic winter, late March saw much higher temperatures than usual for this period: 27°C! The bud burst took place ten days earlier than anticipated on the 4 April. Then, during the nights of the 5, 6 and 7 April, temperatures fell well below as low as -8 °C. Our Chardonnay vines as well as the whole of the Côte chalonnaise were highly impacted by the frosts. From May through until July the weather was cool and humid. Flowering took place mid-June. The weather was warm and sunny from the 10th of August onwards. The harvests began on the 21 September and drew to a close on the 30 September.
Appellation
descriptionIntroduction
"La Favorite" is a parcel selection from the Mercurey 1er Cru "Le Clos du Roy" produced from vines situated high up on the South-East facing hillside. As of the 2009 vintage we have harvested, vinified and aged separately this wine in order to produce an outstanding Côte Chalonnaise wine. Why is it called "La Favorite"? When King Henri IV besieged the Château de Montaigu in Mercurey, he was accompanied by his Favorite, Gabrielle d'Estrée.Whilst the royal troops besieged the walls, the King visited Givry and fell in love with its wines. As for Gabrielle d'Estrée, she preferred the Mercurey...
Exposition
South, Sout-West
Soil
Clay-limestone, white marls
Grape Variety
Pinot Noir
Characteristics of our plot
Surface area
0.3852 ha (0,952 Acres)
Characteristics of our plot
Years the vines were planted
1982
Winemaking
Winemaking
The grapes are harvested and sorted by hand. The proportion of de-stemmed grapes and whole clusters varies depending on the vintage. The wines are pumped over twice daily in order to extract colour, tannins and aromas from the skin of the grapes. After a 15 to 19 day vatting period, the alcoholic fermentation is complete. The free-run wine is run off using a gravity system whilst the marc is pressed slowly and gently in order to extract an exceptionally pure press wine. The wines are aged for 15 months in French oak barrels (30% of which are new oak) which have been selected for their fine grain and moderate toast. The wines are left to age in our cellars at consistent, natural hygrometry and temperature.
Tasting
Tasting
This wine reveals a deep ruby red hue and a nose characterised by small black fruits and a touch of oak and spice. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and well-balanced. The richness of its aromas and tannins give it exceptional body, length and complexity.
Serve with
Fillet of beef, lamb chops
Serve at
14°C to 16°C
Cellaring Potential
7 to 10 years
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