Domaine Merlin Macon La Roche Vineuse Les Cras 2022
Domaine Merlin Macon La Roche Vineuse Les Cras 2022 is a dry, medium-bodied white from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay (Mâconnais, France), in the rich, round whites style. Acidity is fresh; oak influence is little. Good with roast chicken, salmon, creamy pasta, duck. Drink now or within 10 years (to about 2032). Decant for about 30 minutes. Sustainable farming is mentioned by the merchant. Critic score 93/100 (merchant-reported).
| Wine | Sweet | Body | From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domaine Andre Bonhomme Vire-Clesse Le Coteau de L'Epinet 2023 Domaine Andre Bonhomme · Burgundy | £30.25 | |||
| Domaine Jean Marc Boillot Macon-Villages 2023 Domaine Jean Marc Boillot · Burgundy | £29.99 | |||
| Pietrabianca Chardonnay, Castel del Monte, Bocca del Lupo (organic) 2024 Antinori · Campania | £29.95 | |||
| Macon Villages Nos Cinq Terroirs Paquet 2025 Famille Paquet · Burgundy | £32.00 |
Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. It is recommended to decant it for half an hour. Olivier Merlin founded his company in 1987 with his wife Corinne in La Roche-Vineuse, in the southernmost part of Burgundy. The first vineyards acquired were part of an old estate, and over the years, the company expanded with the purchase of several plots. Today, Domaine Merlin cultivates the typical Burgundian grape varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Gamay and practices sustainable viticulture and traditional winemaking to maximize the terroir. The Chardonnay grapes come from a vineyard at about 300 meters above sea level in the municipality of La Roche Vineuse. The vines, aged between 5 and 30 years, enjoy a south-west exposure and are rooted in clay-limestone soils. After manual harvesting, fermentation takes place in oak barrels, and the finished wine then rests for about a year and a half in barriques. Mâcon Les Cras is a rich and complex wine with a broad aromatic profile characterized by notes of exotic and stone fruit, pear, and hazelnut, followed by mineral notes. On the palate, it is fresh and balanced, powerful and juicy, with a strong minerality that lingers on the long finish. Try it with fried frog legs and snails Burgundy style.