Louis Latour Mercurey Rouge 2019 is a red Burgundy made from Pinot Noir from the Côte Chalonnaise, a region just south of the Côte d'Or. Mercurey is known for red wines with earthy fruitiness, good grip, and a more robust Burgundian profile than many lighter village wines. This 2019 combines 25-year-old vines, manual harvesting, and stainless steel aging to produce a Pinot Noir with raspberry, cherry, licorice, spices, and a vibrant, powerful structure.
Mercurey is located in the Côte Chalonnaise, a Burgundian region where Pinot Noir often turns out somewhat firmer and earthier.
• Location / Origin: Mercurey is a village and appellation in the Côte Chalonnaise, south of the Côte d'Or. The wine has clear kinship with red Burgundy from the Côte de Beaune, but in Mercurey it often gains more earthy fruitiness and grip.
• Historical name: The name Mercurey dates back to Roman times, when Roman legions built a temple here for Mercury, the god of trade and travel.
• Soil: The vines grow on clay and limestone. Clay gives Pinot Noir more roundness and fruit filling, while limestone contributes to freshness, tension, and refinement.
• Vineyard & Harvest: The vines are on average 25 years old, and the yield is around 45 hl per hectare. The grapes are harvested by hand, allowing for careful selection of the delicate Pinot Noir fruit.
This red Burgundy is made entirely from Pinot Noir.
• Pinot Noir – Mercurey: Pinot Noir gives this wine its raspberry, cherry, fine tannins, and earthy Burgundian undertone. In Mercurey, the grape often gains extra backbone and spiciness, making the wine feel more powerful than many lighter Pinot Noir from Burgundy.
The vinification focuses on fruit, structure, and a transparent style without oak influence.
• Fermentation: The wine ferments traditionally in open vats and undergoes full malolactic fermentation. This process helps to extract color, aroma, and structure from the skins, while malolactic fermentation softens the acidity.
• Aging: The wine ages for 10–12 months in stainless steel tanks. This keeps the fruit bright and direct, with raspberry, cherry, licorice, and spices without the influence of new oak.
• Aging potential: This Mercurey has an aging potential of 3–5 years. The 2019 vintage has already developed nicely, while the fresh fruit core and tannin structure are still intact.
