Burgundy drinkers take note: Mercurey is poised for a breakthrough. This village at the northern end of the Côte Chalonnaise, a straight shot as the crow flies from the heart of the Côte de Beaune, already has the terroir pedigree—the same marl and limestone so critical to producing detailed, vibrant Pinot Noir. And in Domaine Brintet, you’ve got what Clive Coates, MW, describes as “one of the best domaines” in the appellation.

In the past, Mercurey Rouge scold be keletal and lean thanks to the higher elevations of its vineyards, but the current reality of consistently warm vintages has been a boon to its producers (consider it the only upside to climate change). Now, in the hands of a producer like Brintet, Mercurey can produce beautifully finessed, detailed red Burgundy oozing with character. At its best, it’s the village outside of the fabled Côte d’Or that most approximates the reds of Volnay or Pommard in their balance of aromatic complexity, mineral power, and invigorating freshness. This is the village to keep your eye on if you want to be ahead of the Burgundy curve: As Côte de Beaune reds fetch prices previously unheard of, it won’t be long until Mercurey wines are being squirreled away by Burgundy collectors eager for the next big thing. All told, this ’18 from Brintet is perhaps the best red Burgundy value I’ve seen all year!

One reason I say that is because Domaine Brintet delivers authenticity along with impeccable quality. Brintets can trace their roots in Mercurey back to the 14th century, but it was when Luc Brintet and his wife, Veronique, took over in 1984 that the domaine’s reputation began to skyrocket. They bring to their 11.5 hectares of Pinot vines across Mercurey and neighboring Rully the same attention to detail and rigor you expect from a coveted Côte-d’Or producer. Their Vielles Vignes bottling hails from organically treated, 65-year-old Pinot Noir vines planted on clay and limestone soils. All fruit at Brintet is hand-harvested and the many individual parcels that make up their Vielles Vignes cuvée are fermented separately. After a short cold soak, the fermenting must is subjected to gentle pump-overs to cover the “cap” of solids. The finished wine is then aged in barriques, about one-third of which are new.

Thanks to a warm vintage in 2018, Brintet’s Mercurey Vielles Vignes 2018 brings serious depth and concentration to the village’s famous mineral spine. In the glass, it’s a deep ruby with hints of magenta, and the nose bursts with classic Burgundian character. Crushed cherries, black and red raspberries, mushroom, forest floor, and a delicate underpinning of vanilla all carry over to a plush, medium-bodied palate. There’s a firm acidic backbone and a gentle wash of tannins keeping things in check. It’s a generous, highly engaging Pinot Noir, tending toward medium-plus in body, and it really awakens after a 30- or 45-minute decant. There’s no doubt this will improve over the next five to seven years, which is not usually something I find myself saying about a $36 bottle of Burgundy. It’ll be pitch-perfect with classic French fare like cassoulet or duck breast, but would even work beautifully next to something richly spiced like lamb tagine. Serve at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems, and celebrate the fact that there are still many smart buys to be had in Burgundy. Cheers!