Mercurey is a Côte Chalonnaise appellation covering 640 hectares in the communes of Mercurey and Saint-Martin-sous-Montaigu. The appellation includes 85 village AOCs and 32 climats recognized as Premier Cru. Officially established since 1936 and much sought-after for its richly aromatic red wines, it also produces white wines with a very interesting style.

A privileged terroir with a rich history

Mercurey’s history dates back to Roman times. By building a temple to Mercury, the Romans gave the village its name and planted vines. Later, this history became closely linked with that of Château de Montaigu and the Dukes of Burgundy. The latter played a major role in its development, purchasing colossal quantities. The papal community and the kings of France were also major players. As elsewhere in France, the vineyards were hit by phylloxera, which decimated the vines in the 19th century. It wasn’t until 1902 that the vineyard was truly reconstituted. However, the years 1920-1930 saw the outbreak of mildew further reduce the size of the vineyard, followed by heavy hail and frost, as well as devastating storms in subsequent years. Today, the climate is more balanced: temperate and continental, it still gives rise to frosts depending on the year, but harvests are less affected. Planted a few hundred meters above sea level, Mercurey’s vines benefit from marl and limestone soils that enable the vines to feed deeply on nutrients. Their east, south-east and south-facing slopes are ideal for Pinot Noir, which, like Chardonnay, flourishes.