Domaine Merlin : La Rochelle 2021

Tasting advice for the 2021 La Rochelle cuvée from Domaine Merlin

Tasting

Color
The wine presents itself with a deep color with bluish reflections, testifying to its richness.

Nose
The nose is expressive, mixing aromas of spices like pepper, gourmet notes of chocolate and the freshness of a ripe cherry.

Palate
On the palate, this wine reveals a dense and racy texture. The tannins, very present, express themselves with elegance and velvety, offering a finish of remarkable length. This cuvée, the flagship of the domain, embodies a great wine for aging.

A full-bodied and complex Beaujolais wine

The property

Passionate about viticulture and winemaking, Olivier Merlin acquired in 1987 with his wife the domain of Vieux Saint-Sorlin, located a few kilometers from Mâcon, which they renamed Domaine Merlin.

Defining themselves as "wine artisans", Olivier and Corinne Merlin pay particular attention to both the vineyard (specific soil work according to the plots, addition of organic fertilizer to promote microbial life, manual harvesting) and the winemaking (long pressings in whole bunches, fermentations and aging in oak barrels), in order to produce exceptional cuvées that authentically express the specificities of this historic terroir.

With an area of 22 hectares, the vineyard is composed of chardonnay, pinot noir and gamay. Since 2017, Olivier and Corinne Merlin have been joined by their two sons, Théo and Paul, who have experience in international wine estates.

The vineyard

"La Rochelle" is a Moulin-à-Vent wine from a vineyard resting on a very poor sandy granite terroir, enriched with manganese. Located at 280 meters above sea level, this terroir benefits from a southeast exposure and a slope of 10%. The vines, mainly planted in 1937 and supplemented in 1962, are carefully managed, including full plowing with a horse.

Vinification and aging

Hand-harvested, the carefully sorted grapes are vinified in whole harvest according to a semi-carbonic maceration in conical wood vat. The maceration lasts about 12 days, with two daily pump-overs. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged for 18 months in barrels before a delicate bottling, without fining and with a light filtration.

Blend

Gamay (100%).