Burgundy 2020 En Primeur: Jeannin-Naltet, Mercurey
After an absence of two years, we enjoyed meeting Benoît Eschard once again at his beautiful domaine in Mercurey. Now at the helm at his family domaine for nine years, he seems to have grown in confidence and was very at ease showing us the vineyards of 'Clos des Grand Voyens' and 'Les Naugues', which lie immediately behind the cellar.
The 2018 and 2019 vintages have become firm favourites with our customers over the last couple of years, so were excited to taste this latest vintage. Delivering generous, bold, dark Pinot Noir fruit and, with some time, complex minerality, the wines are great value. Benoît's 2020s have a distinct character, due to the dryness of the ripening season, which concentrated the juice, resulting in an average yield of just 25 hl/ha (as opposed to 40-45 hl/ha in the previous two harvests). This also concentrated the tartaric acids in the grapes, giving the wines a fresh, lifted character, despite their concentration.
Benoît's 4.9ha monopole vineyard 'Clos des Grands Voyens' is usually the more forward and accessible wine, but this year we felt the more limestone-influenced 'Les Naugues' was both immediate and promising great things for those who can wait for 5-6 years from the vintage.
The Mercureys were so successful last year that we shipped some extra stocks of the 2018s and '19s, a little of which we now offer alongside the 2020s. These recent vintages are immediately available (while stocks last) ex-UK, so we suggest taking advantage of them, whilst you wait for your 2020s to arrive!
2020s offered En Primeur, due to land in the UK in autumn 2022. 2019 & 2018 library vintages are offered from UK stock, immediately available, subject to remaining.
Producer Profile
Domaine Jeannin-Naltet, Mercurey
Domaine Jeannin-Naltet in Mercurey was a new find for us in 2018. A small, family-owned domaine, it has been undergoing a transformation since Benoît Eschard took over from his uncle, seven years ago. Nearly 8 of Benoît's 9 hectares are premier cru and he has been working hard to emphasize freshness and minerality in his 1er Cru 'Clos des Grand Voyens' (a monopole, owned solely by the domaine) and 1er cru Les Naugues.
The 'Clos des Grand Voyens' is on a mixture of clay and limestone and shows both chalky-limestone character and a softer, more broad-shouldered style. 'Les Naugues' undoubtedly has more concentration, but more limestone in the terroir gives a tauter structure, which will take a little longer to come round for drinking.
| RED | 2020 | 7 cases | Jeannin-Naltet - Mercurey Clos des Grands Voyens 1er cru | 75cl | £250 per case of 12 | Jeannin-Naltet Mercurey Clos des Grands Voyens 1er cru 2020 / 7 cases / 75cl £250 per case of 12 |
IB | ||||
Tasting NotesA beautiful walled vineyard site. All 5 ha are owned by Jeannin-Naltet, making this a 'monopole'. Planted at a very high density, 10,000 vines per hectare. 25-30% new oak. Like many producers, Benoit used less pigeage and remuage than in previous vintages. Quite closed on the nose at first, but showing dark cherry and bilberry on the nose and palate, with firm tannins and a tremendous finish. A more refined expression than in 2019 and 2018. RKL |
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| RED | 2020 | 4 cases | Jeannin-Naltet - Mercurey Clos des Grands Voyens 1er cru | Magnum | £265 per case of 6 | Jeannin-Naltet Mercurey Clos des Grands Voyens 1er cru 2020 / 4 cases / Magnum £265 per case of 6 |
IB | ||||
Tasting NotesA beautiful walled vineyard site. All 5 ha are owned by Jeannin-Naltet, making this a 'monopole'. Planted at a very high density, 10,000 vines per hectare. 25-30% new oak. Like many producers, Benoit used less pigeage and remuage than in previous vintages. Quite closed on the nose at first, but showing dark cherry and bilberry on the nose and palate, with firm tannins and a tremendous finish. A more refined expression than in 2019 and 2018. RKL |
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| RED | 2020 | 5 cases | Jeannin-Naltet - Mercurey Les Naugues 1er cru | 75cl | £265 per case of 12 | Jeannin-Naltet Mercurey Les Naugues 1er cru 2020 / 5 cases / 75cl £265 per case of 12 |
IB | ||||
Tasting NotesLes Naugues (pronounce, rather disconcertingly, with a hard 'g') is a 1 ha south-facing site, with 46 year-old vines, on limestone-marl. The aspect means that the grapes here ripen early. Aged 100% in oak barrels, of which 30% are new. Deep, spciy and multi-layered on the nose, great intensity of aroma, richly textured, dark fruit but with some notes of redcurrant adding maintaining the freshness. Grand Voyens is usually the more immediate wine, but it in 2020 Les Naugues gives it a run for its money and will ultimately have more complexity. RKL |
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