Mercurey 1er Cru "Les Saumonts" (Red)

Origine

Area: 1.1 hectares
Average age: 15 to 60 years   
Soil: sandy clay
Exposure: facing directly south

"Saumont" means "under the mount, at the foot of the mountain". In fact, this south-facing hillside at the bottom of a cirque, at the foot of a cliff, is quite unique. The soil is made up of debris from the disintegrated rock and drains well, lending the wine elegance and finesse. The shade of the hillside to the east of the cirque keeps the soil, and therefore the wine, nice and fresh.

Vinification

The yield is rigorously reduced by all the work carried out in the vineyards. The grapes are harvested by hand and go into crates which are transported to the winery every ¾ hour, at most, to be sorted by the team at the domaine, before being fully destemmed and going into vat for a period of 3-4 weeks, depending on the vintage. The yeast inoculation is natural. Cap punching and pumping over operations are carried out according to the characteristics of the vintage.  All the wine is aged in barrels, aged 1 to 5 years, using the wood only for the purpose of bringing out the personality of the terroir.  After malo-lactic fermentation (which usually occurs in May or June), the wine is transferred into a vat to re-adjust the oxydation-reduction potential and restore freshness and balance before bottling 20-22 months after the harvest.  The wines are generally not filtered: as they show very low turbidity, this is not required.

Notes de dégustation

The colour of this 1er cru is understated.  On the nose, it releases aromas of wild berries (raspberries, red currants, blackberries) and flowers. Its perceptible structure renders the wine fresh and slightly tart on the palate with fine, elegant tannins. Spicier notes should develop as the wine ages.  This is probably the most elegant of the crus produced by Domaine du Meix Foulot.

Mets d'accompagnements

It pairs well with fine dishes such as roasted meat, slightly stronger- flavoured red meats (lamb, duck), poultry, and even fatty fish (monkfish, salmon).

If the wine is young, open one hour before serving it at 17-18°C. This wine will easily keep for 7-10 years.