Tasted with Oliver Merlin, 19 October 2020.

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

Olivier commenting on the current, covid-related, market situation: “Of course, the sales are a little slower than we anticipate at this time of the year, but there’s nothing catastrophic just now. But importantly, at least we have very good wine in the cellar, and it is not like flowers – it will still be very good in years to come!”

A few words on his wines:
“I brought 2018s as there’s virtually nothing bottled in 2019 – we will mainly start this process at the start of next year – indeed I’m still selling some 2017s. 2018 was a big change at the domaine for us – the first year where the kids took on some of the vines – we’re still working 23 hectares.”

The wines…

Always a consistent producer, sometimes with great wines – evidenced by the last two tasted. I’ve always been a big fan of his MAV, particularly with 5-plus years of bottle-ageing – here’s another great one.

All wines are cork-sealed:

2018 Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles-Vignes
55-80 year-old vines – ‘It’s our cuvée Classique but we have started to do some replanting.’ All barrel elevage about 10% new.
A compact nose but with an engaging freshness. Good depth of flavour here, plenty of balanced concentration. Concentrated but tasty finishing – long too. A very good wine…

2018 St.Véran Les Grands Bussières
In Prissé, about 60-yo vines – ‘A very precocious sector – one of earliest to harvested each year.’
A little silkier, certainly plenty of concentration – there’s some oak showing here – a little minerality rising from the depth of the flavour too. Today all is framed in a little oak flavour – I’d wait 2 years before attacking. Very good all the same.