Domaine Raquillet : Mercurey 1er cru "Les Vasées" 2024

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the Domaine Raquillet Mercurey 1er Cru "Les Vasées" 2024

Tasting Notes

Appearance
This wine reveals a deep, intense colour, adorned with dark hues verging on dark violet.

Nose
Particularly expressive and true to its grape variety, the aromatic bouquet opens with luscious notes of ripe red and black fruits, reminiscent of cherry, raspberry and blackcurrant. The whole is delicately enhanced by subtle spicy touches.

Palate
On the palate, this Mercurey 1er Cru "Les Vasées" proves flavourful, full-bodied and wonderfully round. It offers a silky, juicy texture, supported by tannins that are both present and refined, extending into a beautifully velvety finish.

Food and Wine Pairing
This full-bodied cuvée pairs wonderfully with red meats, such as a fine entrecôte or a piece of beef. It also matches perfectly with braised lamb, roast pork, poultry simmered in sauce, or a platter of mature cheeses.

Serving and Cellaring
To fully appreciate this Mercurey 1er Cru "Les Vasées", it is recommended to serve it at a temperature of 17°C. During its early years, decanting is strongly advised to release all of its aromas. It reaches its peak at around 5 years of age and can be cellared until at least 2032.

Other Characteristics
The estate has been certified High Environmental Value (HVE) since 2022, highlighting a strong commitment to respecting the ecosystem and biodiversity.

A Fruity, Silky Mercurey 1er Cru from Domaine Raquillet

The Estate
Located in the heart of Burgundy, Domaine Raquillet is a family-run estate whose current structure was established in 1990 when it was taken over by François and Emmanuelle Raquillet. Today, they run this 14-hectare vineyard alongside their daughter Jeanne, representing the eleventh generation of winegrowers in the family. Recognised as a true benchmark of its appellation, the estate stands out for its meticulous approach and environmental certification, producing wines that combine freshness with absolute respect for the fruit.

The Vineyard
This wine comes from a 1.10-hectare plot classified as Premier Cru within the Mercurey appellation. A true monopole of the estate, this climat is ideally located on the mid-slope with a full south-facing exposure. The vines, averaging 50 years of age, thrive on a clay-limestone terroir rich in marl. Cultivation follows a sustainable approach: simple guyot pruning, mechanical soil work with several annual ploughings, bud thinning to control yields, and preventive leaf removal. Harvesting is done exclusively by hand, followed by a rigorous sorting of the bunches.

Winemaking and Ageing
To craft this Mercurey 1er Cru "Les Vasées", the grapes are fully destemmed before being gravity-fed into stainless steel vats. The process begins with a cold pre-fermentation maceration at 12°C for 5 days. Alcoholic fermentation starts naturally in the vat thanks to indigenous yeasts, with very little punching down but two daily pump-overs to favour gentle extraction. After tanks are emptied following 15 to 20 days and pressing takes place, malolactic fermentation occurs in barrels. The wine is then aged for 12 months in oak barrels, 30% of which are new, before undergoing light filtration at bottling.

Grape Variety
100% Pinot Noir