I love a good Burgundy Mercurey. Particularly a 2009
Mercurey from Domaine Ninot. It's an honest, earthy, pungent,
full-flavored, red berry fruited Pinot Noir wine which,
when consumed with a lamb stew and crunchy
mopping bread in front of a crackling fire,
can plunge one into a very comfortable state
of mind.
Last year's 2008 Les Crets was rated 88-91 by Burghound. The 2009 has not been reviewed yet but which has built up huge anticipation because its high quality and perfectly riped fruit. . I will give give you last year's review (below) to give you a sense of this delightful wine's style.
"This is more refined aromatically with very Pinot aromas that still carry the hallmark earthiness of a classic Mercurey and this earthiness also suffuses the rich, round and generous medium-bodied flavors that are supported by rather fine tannins and notably better length on the sappy finish. Lovely and understated. 2012+. 88-91pts" - Allen Meadows, Burghound
And if that's the 2008 - imagine how good the 2009 will be! 2009 red Burgundies - peerless perfection!
Wine Spectator reports on the 2009 vintage: "it looks like Burgundy lovers will be blessed with charming and fruity reds and whites."
Decanter writes, "Winemakers throughout the region are delighted by 2009's high levels of ripeness, the health of the grapes, and the promising acidity and balance."
And this Mercurey is an incredible value. Errell Ninot is one of those
perfectionist, over-achieving growers that I
spend my days searching for.
Errel got her picture in La Revue du Vin
de France, which is a big deal.
Every now and again, the magazine (which is
France's equivalent to The Wine
Advocate) puts a grower on a pedestal and
honors her with their Coup de Coeur.
This basically means when they tasted her
wines, they fell in love.
Mercurey is a village and winegrowing area
that is part of a larger region called the
Chalonnaise. The Chalonnaise is just
south of the Cote d'Or. There is not just one hill
as there is in the Cote d'Or, but a jumble of
hills. If you happen upon a good grower here,
you can get a good sense of what French
Pinot Noir is all about and why the world
cannot get enough of it, especially in
2009.
Ninot's Mercurey is grown in the vineyard
named Les Crets, which is one of the
best premier cru vineyards. In its
prime location on the mid-slope of the
Mercurey hillside, the vineyard gets
excellent southern exposure. The
terroir produces an intense and
concentrated wine.
This is the first arrival of 2009s. Grab them while they are available -Cynthia Hurley
