CHÂTEAU DE MERCEY
BOURGOGNE HAUTES-CÔTES DE BEAUNE CHARDONNAY 2020
CHÂTEAU DE MERCEY
BOURGOGNE HAUTES-CÔTES DE BEAUNE CHARDONNAY 2020
Grape variety
Tasting notes
Nose : aromas of fresh white fruits and delicate woody notes.
Palate : the mouth offers a mineral and fruity attack. This is a very supple, pleasant and generous wine.
Wine and food pairing
Serving temperature
Ageing potential
Origin
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune parcels are lyre-shaped. This technique allows the sun to shine within the vine rows and ensures quick ripening and prevents diseases.
Vinification and maturing
Once at the winery, the grapes went in a bladder press. The must was then racked for 16 to 24 hours in a cold tank to be clarified before starting the fermentation process.
Once the alcoholic fermentation was achieved, the wine was casked for a 10-month ageing period in 228 Liters oak barrels (20% new oak), on fine lees, without any stirring, followed by a blending period in tank for 2 months.
Vintage : 2020
For long time in Burgundy we had not seen such variations in the grapes than in the 2020 harvests.
It was an early vintage, with another very mild winter and therefore an early start to the growth cycle.
A rainy, cool May did not slow the vines down, and temperatures quickly rose again. The summer was one of the hottest we have experienced.
The vines reacted in very different ways depending on the sector and it was necessary to monitor the grapes’ phenolic maturity right up to the harvests, since in some cases the berries suffered significant water stress, resulting in delays in ripening and lower yields.
On the whole, the vines in Rully, Mercurey and Maranges held up well because several of our terroirs benefit from subterranean water sources which partially alleviated the stress.
But the fact remains that the expression of aromatic, phenolic and technological maturity was very different from previous years and the evolution of each parameter had to be closely monitored. Once again, the choice of harvest date was decisive in ensuring the quality of the future wines. Especially since there were sometimes significant differences in ripeness within the same plot.
Harvesting began on 24 August and ended on 16 September. Some sectors required patience: it was important not to harvest too quickly. The grapes were in an excellent state of health, but thorough sorting was necessary to separate berries that were still pink and yet side by side with ripe grapes.
Ultimately, yields were particularly reduced for the reds.
The character of the 2020 vintage will gradually be revealed as it undergoes barrel-ageing, but we can already appreciate it for its balance, promising colours, concentration and generous aromatic expression.
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