2014 Michel Sarrazin et Fils Mercurey Le Pierrier

Michel Sarrazin et Fils is in the heart of Burgundy about 20 miles south of Beaune. The estate had been in the Sarrazin family for many generations, but it was Michel Sarrazin who, in 1964, started making wine under his own name rather than selling grapes to the local cooperative. His sons Guy and Jean Yves joined the family enterprise in the 1980s and 1990s. Today the 85-acre estate produces red, white, rosé and sparkling wine in several appellations, including Givry Premier Cru red and white wines. Besides Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the estate also grows Aligoté.

Mercurey, the appellation, includes the communes of Mercurey and Saint-Martin-sous-Montaigu, and it is the largest of the Côte Chalonnaise appellations by size and production. Mercurey takes its name from the Roman god Mercurey, who was a winged messenger and the god of commerce. The appellation includes nearly 1,600 acres of vineyards, of which 95% is planted to Pinot Noir and 5% to Chardonnay. Though there are no Grand Crus, there are 32 Premier Cru vineyards. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote several decades ago that Mercurey was “the appellation of the future in the Côte Chalonnaise” because of relatively high quality wines offered at good value. Prices have crept up, but Clive Coates has noted more recently that “Mercurey is the most structured of the Chalonnaise reds wines…At its best, it is rich and ample though, with a certain earthiness…”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.