50 years old, planting density 8,000 vines/ha, yield 30hl/ha. The best plot in LaRocheVineuse. Lots of limestone. 5 degree slope facing southwest, 300m above sea level, 0.7ha. The history of this domaine began in 1987 when the owner Olivier Meurlan, who learned winemaking in Jura and California, purchased and inherited the historic Domaine "Domaine des Vieux Saint-Sorlin" in the Maconnais region, which has been in existence since the Middle Ages. The Maconnais region is higher in altitude than the Cote d'Or, and the fields on the steep slopes are characterized by strong winds. 95% of producers in the Maconnais region spray herbicides and harvest mechanically, but Meurlan is one of the few Domaines that has never used chemical fertilizers or herbicides from the beginning to the present, frequently tilling the fields, and selecting healthy grapes that are fully ripe and harvested by hand. Grapes grown on windy slopes are less susceptible to pests, so there is no need to spray pesticides. The grapes are harvested in small boxes to prevent damage before fermentation, and the grapes are sorted again on a selection table before quickly being placed in tanks for fermentation. Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed, Pinot Noir is 100% destemmed (Gamay is whole-cluster fermented). Full malolactic fermentation, no collage, no filtering or minimal filtering before bottling. Olivier, who makes wines by hand, has established himself as a leader among high-quality wineries in the Maconnais region. Olivier, who knows the region well long before the winemakers of the Côte d'Or entered the Maconnais region, has many aspiring winemakers, including Raphael, the fourth generation owner of Domaine Coche-Dury, as trainees. In addition, Master of Wine Jasper Morris has introduced Olivier as one of the best winemakers representing the Macon region. Furthermore, in 2012, he established a new winery, Chateau des Cars, with Dominique, the owner of Comte Lafon, the top domaine in Meursault. His two sons, Theo and Paul, are now also involved in the domaine, and expectations are high for further improvements in quality in the future. [About the establishment of Premier Cru in Pouilly-Fuisse]
In 2020, INAO created the Premier Cru of Pouilly-Fuisse for the first time.
Of the total 800 hectares of Pouilly-Fuissé, 190 hectares and 22 climats are approved.
At Merlan, five vineyards have been promoted to Premier Cru: Soules-la-Roche and Clos de France in the northern Vergisson area, Au Vigneres in the Solutre-Pouilly area in the central north, and Clos des Carles and Chevrières in the southern Chantres area. Starting with the 2020 vintage, five types of wine have been promoted to Premier Cru.