Domaine Faiveley

Bourgogne, France

Mercurey Vieilles Vignes Rouge — 2022

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  • Introduction

    • WINERY: Wine runs deep in the Faiveley family’s blood, as they have been deeply rooted in Bourgogne, its history, and its culture for almost two centuries now. Their values have remained unchanged over the last seven generations and are based on a deep attachment to the Bourgogne region, an instinctive passion for the terroirs, and an innate respect for man and his work. Today they are one of the largest owners in Burgundy, with holdings spreading from the Côte de Nuits to the Côte Chalonnaise, featuring polished, collectible reds and whites with exceptionally high ratings.

      WINE: This Côte Chalonnaise village takes its name from the god Mercury (God of trade). Mercurey is intersected by the Agrippa road which linked Chalon-sur-Saône to Autun in the Roman era. The wines of Mercurey have given this village its reputation throughout the world. For centuries, Domaine Faiveley’s extensive holdings in Mercurey have produced exceptional expressions from the appellation. With up to sixty year-old vines, the wine presents great concentration and structure.

  • Vineyard Profile

    • Appellation: Mercurey AOC
    • Location: Bourgogne, Côte Chalonnaise
    • Cultivation: Certified Organic beginning with the 2025 vintage
    • Viticulture: Organic Farming
    • Size: 27.25 ha
    • Vine Age: Planted: 1962, 1978, 1981
    • Soil: Clay–Limestone
    • Exposure: Southeast exposure
  • Vintage Report

    • The winter of 2022 was relatively mild with average levels of rainfall. The nights of April 10-12 saw some frost (-2°C) although our vines fortunately did not suffer too much. Bud burst occurred in mid April. Flowering began on May 18 in the Côte chalonnaise and May 23rd in the Côte d’Or. Spring saw lightning fast growth during the 2022 vintage with the extremely fast development of the plant owing to the effects of the rain and warmth The month of May was a record-breaker in terms of heat (as high as 30°C) and was also very dry. At the beginning of June, the vines made up for the lost time caused by the spring frosts. Another defining characteristic of the vintage was 3 severe storms in the Côte de Nuits in June 2023 with cumulative rainfall levels of 250mm (compared to the 60mm average in June). The rain in June proved highly beneficial and enabled the vines to withstand the intense summer heat thanks to water reserves stored in the soils. This year the harvests took place in the glorious sunshine and the fruit displayed exceptional ripeness with sugar levels in line with the average. It was a particularly high quality harvest this year and the grapes were intensely fragrant and in perfect health.

  • Vinification

    • Partial whole cluster fermentation with twice daily pumpovers for a 15-19 day vatting period. 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.

    • Barrel Aging: 12 months in French oak barrels, 10% new oak
  • Technical Information

    • Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
    • Alcohol: 13%
  • Tasting Notes

    • The “vieilles vignes” (old vines) are up to sixty years old and produce an exceptionally aromatic wine that offers a true reflection of its Mercurey terroirs. The palate reveals a smooth, fruity attack and evolves towards notes of ripe red berries and a touch of vanilla. An intensely aromatic wine with a delicate structure and silky smooth tannins that will win over wine experts and amateurs alike.