Gouffier – Mercurey ‘Les Murgers’ – 2020

PRODUCER NOTE:
Gouffier owns five and a half hectares of vineyard in the villages of Fontaines and Mercurey in Cote Chalonnaise. Historically it was run by the Gouffier family for generations until Jerome Gouffier handed over the reins to his close friend Frederic Gueugneau, formerly at La Chablisienne. Since 2011, Frederic and oenologist Benoit Pagot have brought about a new style of winemaking. They follow an organic philosophy to create wines that are modern and approachable, but with all the style and panache of good Burgundy. They have created a collection of wines of outstanding originality, verve and spirit.

VINTAGE
2019 has been cited as an outstanding vintage and one of the best in recent years. The dry, warm conditions produced low yields of impeccably balanced, concentrated wines with refined freshness and remarkable purity. A mild winter was followed by a chilly spring, with frosts affecting some areas. Cooler temperatures in June resulted in uneven flowering and some millerandage in some vineyards. However, temperatures soared in July and August with vines under hydric stress, resulting in superb concentration and complexity of flavours.

VINEYARD:
Mercurey is an appellation in the Cote Chalonnaise, where the red wines are characterised by their deep colour and fuller body compared to their neighbouring appellations. The ‘lieu dit’ or named vineyard of ‘Les Murgers’ is situated on rocky soils; its Burgundian name of ‘Meurger’ comes from the heaps of stones that were removed from the plot to enable vine planting. The east-facing Gouffier plot covers 1.2 hectares with loamy topsoil, deeper layers of clay with the rocky component offering the vine good drainage. The vineyard is cultivated using organic preparations, with ploughing, pruning, desuckering and leaf thinning to maintain the high quality of the fruit. The vines are pruned according to the ‘Guyot Poussard’ method, which respects the sapflow of the vine, reducing the serious consequences of pruning cuts and optimises the vine’s health.

WINEMAKING:
The hand-picked fruit was vinified with 30% whole bunches, enhancing the fruit and aromatics, while adding freshness and structure. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels of 228 litres, one third were new barrels which imparted structure and length, while rounding out the tannins.

TASTING NOTES:
Displaying all the hallmarks of good Mercurey, this is deeply coloured, with vibrant aromas of fresh strawberries and wild raspberries. Supple, with subtle hints of vanilla from the beautifully integrated oak through to a long, elegant finish.

GRAPE:
Chardonnay 100%

COUNTRY:
France

REGION:
Burgundy

SUB REGION:
Mercurey