Tasted with Corinne Merlin, 06 February 2023.
Domaine Merlin
106 Chemin du Lavoir
71960 La Roche-Vineuse
Tel: +33 3 85 36 62 09
merlin-vins.com
More reports on Domaine Merlin
I’ve tasted the wines of this domaine many times, but this was the first time that I actually visited their domaine in Roche-Vineuse – a lovely hillside village looking towards the vines on the opposite side of the valley.
The Merlin team have been in Roche-Vineuse for 36 years, initially higher up in the village, nearer to the church – “but it was a nightmare for trucks!” Their current building/offices became available in 1996 but it took some time to finalise the transaction and with some refurbishment they were finally installed in 1999. In 2009 came the extended facilities with the new cuverie on the other side of the road, and their fine, deep cellar that dates from the 1800s. They farm 26 hectares, including their joint-venture with Dominique Lafon but with the next generation in mind, they will slowly reduce the surface to around 23 hectares…
Corinne on 2021:
“21 was a very small volume but it wasn’t catastrophic everywhere – Roche Vineuse was practically the worst – we have never seen it like that. Fortunately, 2022 brought a good volume – despite the 2nd April snow – I hope that 2023 can too, as our stocks are so low. Fortunately, 2020 was also decent so are still selling some of those. Of course, we had damage in Beaujolais in 2021 too – but less than in the Màconnais.”
The wines…
Some very classy wines at this address in 2021 – and in both colours too. Wines that are worth a special search!
All wines are cork-sealed:
2021 Bourgogne Blanc
This could also be labelled Mâcon-Chaintre – 2 ha of vines on a deep, rich soil. All stainless elevage.
Attractive Freshness, Supple, silky a little richness but still energetic. That’s a delicious start.
Multiple parcels assembled for this.
A more direct, mineral and saline nose. Broad and energetic, fine with juicy acidity – modestly saline – ooh that’s a great, delicious thing. Bravo!
2021 Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles-Vignes
55-80-year-old vines. They have been making this wine since 1987 when the domaine first started with 4.5 hectares… Harvested at 12.5-13°. 5 parcels here – ferments in barrel with a small amount of new wood – probably moving to stainless in summer for bottling after the harvest.
Hmm – a smaller nose but more airy and finer. More mineral and intense, with some creamy oak in the background. Less directly delicious than the previous wine but showing a more impressive width of finishing flavour. Simply excellent – and it will repay some patience.
2021 St.Véran Les Grands Bussières
In Prissé – a deep vein of limestone here – south-facing. about 60-yo vines. ‘A very precocious sector – one of earliest to harvested each year.’ One of the first parcels purchased – 10 years after installation of the domaine. Elevage all in tank – ‘we felt that barrels made this heavier.’ Bottling in 1 month
A small nose again but of purity and faint aniseed. Hmm – properly mineral, wide, growing in generosity. So mouth-watering – lovely wine – wait 2+ years.
2021 St.Véran Cote Rotie
1.2 hectares
A width of fine, airy freshness. More direct, there’s a modest supple side to this – but this is also chalky, mineral, wine with a faint accent of barrel in the middle and finish.
2021 Pouilly-Fuissé
The assembly cuvée from various parcels – elevage in a foudre
Hmm – that’s got a wonderful nose of attractive clarity – yes! Always showing a little generosity but so silky, and always mouth-watering, almost juicy. The fruit is properly balanced by the mineral side – no extraneous oak (from the foudre). Simply excellent wine.
A wider, more floral nose – super! Hmm – direct, mineral, saline but bursting with energy. The barrel modestly visible at the end – but I find this great!
2021 Mâcon-Roche-Vineuse Les Cras
Not yet bottle – half a harvest here.
A little rounder, creamier nose. Super attack – incisive, mineral – tons of complexity. Lovely wine!
In Chaintré, bought the grapes for a few vintages now these old vines are en fermage to the sons here – 0.65 ha – quite an early ripening area A more classic barrel elevage in younger barrels, some new but after fermentation(s) the wine is racked into older barrels for a total of 17-18 months elevage.
A more floral nose. Melting, structural – beautiful flavour – just a gorgeous complexity – also not bottled. Bravo!
2021 Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Vignerais
Also some floral width with a little more supporting energy. Hmm, another with a fine incisive start, more saline complexity – really broad finishing too – simply an excellent wine.
2 parcels, one in Marechaudes, just a little lower plus some in the commune of Vergisson – ‘A catastrophe in 2021. We used candles but there’s still not much.’
A hint of extra barrel on this rounder nose. Here’s a little more direction and intensity – tighter in the middle but so beautifully sculptured wine – a porcelain structure – yes! Impressively long too.
A single parcel
Narrower but deeper – faintly reductive. Also a vibrant wine – with so much energy, melting with dynamic complexity – ooh that’s potentially a great one.
Wider less focused to start but becoming tighter and more impressive with air. Incisive, chiseled wine – like La Roche. Beautiful over the palate. More melting and generous than the dynamics of the last. Top again.
And less Reds:
2021 Moulin à Vent
1.85 hectares of reds but in 5 parcels. This the assembly wine – always made with all the stems. Elevage in Foudre
A big punch of fresh fruitiness – yes! Direct and intense, slowly melting over the palate. Ooh, I love this direct style and energy – a simply excellent wine!
Nearly a hectare here.
Wider, finer, more airy nose. Incisive and intense – widening with super pure fruit – Ooh – I love – that’s great – and so lasting with flavour – bravo!