Amongst the hilly terrain of the Côte Chalonnaise, there are dozens of Premier Cru vineyards which all hold unique properties in various communes—one of which is Mercurey, where Bruno Lorenzon owns eleven acres of vineyards. The majority of his vineyards are planted in Premier Cru sites. Today’s wine comes from the renowned Premier Cru of Les Truffière, located in the neighboring village of Montagny. In this vineyard site, the classic Côte Chalonnaise soil types of clay and limestone produce the captivating minerality with creamy texture that we love in White Burgundy. The purity of Lorenzon’s viticultural practices and winemaking techniques bring life and personality to this wine; it stands out amongst the often lackluster white offerings from others in the area who use conventional farming methods and have higher yields.

After traveling the world as a consultant for wineries, Lorenzon returned to his home in the Côte Chalonnaise in 1997 to take over the estate from his father; he is the third generation of his family to maintain the vineyards and produce classic wines from the Côte Chalonnaise region. Having traveled the world, learning about viticultural and winemaking practices, Lorenzon has a keen sense for the special terroir of Burgundy. He believes that great wines are first and foremost made in the vineyard, and as a result, gives an immense amount of attention to his vineyards and to each individual grape. He farms organically and does not use herbicides when he works with his vines, because he does not want any chemicals to influence the flavors of his wines. Lorenzon has a strong passion for the astounding fruit that can be grown in his vineyard sites, and cherishes the tremendous quality that he is able to extract from the grapes. He is careful to harvest the grapes at just the right physiological ripeness, picking them with utmost caution and care. In the cellar, he respects the terroir and the particular characteristics of each vintage—choosing to work closely with a local cooper that he formerly worked for, Tonnellerie de Mercurey. The longstanding relationship with Tonnellerie de Mercurey has allowed Lorenzon to choose and age his own wood; he also handcrafts the barrels and toasts them to his own liking. This personal process is individualized for each vintage and each wine, so as to retain the integrity of the fruit, vineyards and terroir. The result is quintessential, small  production of timeless White Burgundy, with classic qualities and serious character.