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Domaine du Meix Foulot, Mercurey 1er Cru, “Les Saumonts”

Burgundy, France 2009 (750mL)
$39.00
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Domaine du Meix Foulot, Mercurey 1er Cru, “Les Saumonts”


The de Launay family has owned and farmed the vines of the Domaine du Meix Foulot for generations. Perched high atop a crest overlooking the village of Mercurey and surrounded by rolling hills of vines, this is one of the most visually breathtaking family estates in Burgundy. The property’s beauty is only rivaled by the diversity and quality of its premier cru vineyard holdings in Mercurey, making it one of, if not the appellation’s top producer.  

Today, Agnes de Launay oversees all aspects of this prized estate. She practices organic farming without herbicides or chemical fertilizers, and equal respect and patience is exercised in the cellar. After grapes are harvested in September, clusters are destemmed entirely. Following a cold maceration of 2-4 days, fermentation on skins occurs for 2+ weeks with regular punch downs.  The wine is then aged in tank and neutral small barrels for 8 months until blending.  After blending, the wine ages in neutral wood for another 12-18 months before bottling without filtration.  The result of this gradual and gentle process is a portfolio of wines that offer value that is rarely paralleled in Burgundy. When I drink the wines of Meix Foulot I ask myself “where else in Burgundy can I drink the top wines of the village for under $40 per bottle?”  
  
The 2009 Meix Foulot Mercurey 1er Cru “Les Saumonts” comes from a parcel of vines planted over 40 years ago. It is a noticeably small 1.1 hectare site which produces very little wine each vintage. Situated at the summit of a small amphitheatre with full southern exposure, the vines sit  in iron-rich, red-tinted clay and sandy soil (salmon-colored, thus the name “Saumonts”). The clay imparts distinct power and openness to the wine, making it one of the most consistently young-drinking cuvées from this estate. The significant presence of sand in this parcel also imparts remarkable energy and verticality to the wine—for me, that is what sets Agnes’ wines clearly above most other wines in Mercurey. This is impressively serious wine for such a modest price.

The wine has a light crimson core moving to light orange and garnet hues on the rim. The palate is medium bodied with a beautiful floating weightlessness that glides on the palate—really gorgeous texture and softness here. This wine was released 3 years ago and aromatically speaking, it is entering a perfect sweet spot for optimal drinking. There is still ample bright plum and cherry fruit, but it’s wed to mature, secondary notes of black truffle, dried flowers, and forest floor. Corresponding flavors develop on the palate along with wet stone, tart cranberry fruit and dried asian spices. 2009 is a relatively young drinking vintage and these wines are entering their window for prime drinking. Simply decant for 1 hour prior to drinking and serve slightly above cellar temperature in large Burgundy stems.
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FranceMercurey
Soil
Limestone, Clay and Sand
Farming
Organic
Blend
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
Mostly Neutral French

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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