Appellations
Village · Côte Chalonnaise
Mercurey
red · 650
The largest Côte Chalonnaise appellation, overwhelmingly red, with a long list of premiers crus.
Under the vines
Limestone and marl on broken hills rather than one continuous escarpment.
In the glass
Firm and savoury enough to be mistaken for the Côte de Beaune in a good year.
Why it sits here
No grand cru, which is why everything here costs roughly a third of its northern equivalent.
Commonly misread
That the Chalonnaise is a lesser region rather than a less famous one. Some of the gap is real and some is reputation.
Names worth knowing
Faiveley, Château de Chamirey, Theulot-Juillot, Bruno Lorenzon