The nose is complex, with delicate and fresh aromas of yellow fruits. Millelandage grapes give the wine a rich and full-bodied style.
In the mouth, the fine acidity and hard water-like texture provide a mellow and balanced finish. The finish is long and pleasantly bitter. Au Vigneret is located on the southern slope of the Solutre hills, at an altitude of 300m. The light, stony soil here warms up quickly in the spring.
This 0.34ha plot was taken over by Olivier's sons Theo and Paul at the end of 2017. It has been attracting attention for producing particularly excellent wines in Pouilly-Fuissé, including being classified as Premier Cru in 2020. In order to preserve tradition and taking into account the age of the vines, very strict viticulture is practiced. All fields are plowed and no herbicides are used. The grapes are pressed directly without destemming, and lightly settled in stainless steel tanks. Wooden barrels are used for alcoholic fermentation and MLF.
It is aged for 18 months in wooden barrels with lees, then for 2-3 months in stainless steel tanks. After racking, it is lightly filtered before bottling. It is not clarified.
Bottled in May 2022
Number produced: 2,458
Residual sugar: Less than 2gThe history of this domaine began in 1987 when the owner Olivier Meurlan, who studied winemaking in the Jura and California, purchased and inherited the historic Domaine des Vieux Saint-Sorlin in the Macon region, which has been in operation since the Middle Ages. The Macon region is at a higher altitude than the Cote d'Or, and its steeply sloping fields are characterized by strong winds. 95% of producers in the Macon region spray herbicides and harvest mechanically, but Meurlan is one of the few Domaines that has never used chemical fertilizers or herbicides since the beginning, frequently tills the fields, and selects and hand-picks fully ripe, healthy grapes. Grapes grown on windy slopes are less likely to attract 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 quickly placed in tanks for fermentation after being reselected on a selection table. Chardonnay is pressed with the whole bunch, Pinot Noir is 100% destemmed (Gamay is fermented with the whole bunch). Complete malolactic fermentation, no collage, no filtering or minimal filtering before bottling. Olivier, who makes wines by hand and painstakingly, has established himself as a leader among high-quality wineries in the Maconnais region. Olivier, who knows the area well long before winemakers from the Cote d'Or entered the Maconnais region, has had many aspiring winemakers, including Raphael, the fourth generation owner of Domaine Coche-Dury, come as trainees. In addition, Master of Wine Jasper Morris has introduced Olivier as one of the best winemakers representing the Maconnais region. In 2012, he also established a new winery, Chateau des Cars, with Dominique, the owner of Comte Lafon, the top domaine in Meursault. Currently, his two sons, Theo and Paul, are 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.