Saint-Veran

From 55-year-old vines with a high proportion of Chardonnay Muscaté, there is a floral ripeness to the bouquet which leads seamlessly to the broad and open palate. Generous and suave, with just the right amount of restraining acidity, this wine flirts with hedonism before tightening up to give a nod to an underlying seriousness. Drink 2019-2022.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Olivier and Corinne Merlin have been established in the Mâconnais village of La Roche Vineuse since 1987. Over the years they have bought the domaine which they originally rented, built a new cuverie, planted new vineyards locally and spread out into further appellations such as Pouilly-Fuissé and Moulin-à-Vent. Theirs has been one of the great success stories of the modern Mâconnais. They expect to be joined shortly by sons Théo and Paul. Having made his first wines in 1987, this year represents Olivier’s 30th vintage in La Roche Vineuse. It is fair to say that in this time he has contributed much to raising standards in the Mâconnais. Proof of his great skill as a winemaker came in the form of a bottle of 1990 Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes, a highlight of a lunch at Berry Bros. & Rudd in July to mark Jasper Morris’s retirement. 

Located at the foot of the north side of the Roche de Vergisson, this is a cool site which has come into its own in recent warm vintages. Young vines give plenty of energy and fruit, while the finish is fresh and crystalline. Half the wine had no sulphur added before bottling. Drink 2019-2023.

The Bret brothers described 2017 as another warm and early vintage, with harvest beginning on the 26th August. They picked early compared to many of their peers, Jean-Philippe explaining that maturity came very quickly. Their decision to bring the grapes in quickly, along with their organic and biodynamic viticulture, has resulted in wonderfully fresh wines. In the cellar they are experimenting with lower levels of sulphur during the winemaking process, with the aim of obtaining full fruit and terroir expression in their wines.

This vineyard has a high proportion of Chardonnay Muscaté, which gives the wine its characteristic floral nose, with rose petals mingling with confit lemon. This parcel is amongst the first to be harvested. Spicy and rounded, it’s almost oily, but there’s also a lingering tension in the background. Drink 2020-2024.

The Brets took on these vines in 2016, but they were so badly hailed that it produced a tiny crop. It is a long parcel, so ripens in stages and has to be picked in successive tries. Raised 50-50 in tank and barrel, the 2017 displays plenty of ripe fruit, a floral complexity and a crisp, citrus finish which radiates from the midpalate. Drink 2020-2025.

The Bret brothers described 2017 as another warm and early vintage, with harvest beginning on the 26th August. They picked early compared to many of their peers, Jean-Philippe explaining that maturity came very quickly. Their decision to bring the grapes in quickly, along with their organic and biodynamic viticulture, has resulted in wonderfully fresh wines. In the cellar they are experimenting with lower levels of sulphur during the winemaking process, with the aim of obtaining full fruit and terroir expression in their wines.

This wine includes a new parcel which came as part of a deal with the Bret Brothers to jointly manage another estate. These old vines at higher altitude give the wine more freshness and complexity. The nose is opulent and expressive with white flowers. The palate has some rich orange fruit, but there is plenty of tension which keeps things balanced. Drink 2020-2025.

The hot and dry conditions of summer 2017 have yielded mixed blessings; the wines are deliciously ripe but the volumes have suffered a little due to drought stress. Picking began early (at the end of August), with the resulting wines being described by Caroline as of really high quality, with good balance and maturity. Dominique and Caroline take great care to pick each parcel (and indeed sub-parcel) at precisely the right time to ensure optimum ripeness.

Raised in a mixture of foudres and demi-muids, this is quite a new cuvée for Lafon (the first vintage was 2014). This wine is a blend of two south-facing parcels and one north-facing plot. There is real ripeness to this wine, with notes of orange blossom on the nose, along with a touch of smoky bacon. The palate is rounded and exuberant, with orange peel flavours; the firm, mineral core keeps the ripeness in check. Drink 2019-2023.
Adam Bruntlett, Brugundy Buyer

In September 1999 the Lafon family bought a domaine at Milly-Lamartine, renaming it Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon. In May 2003 a further six hectares in the villages of Uchizy and Chardonnay were added, followed by Viré-Clessé in 2009 and Prissé, PouillyFuissé and St Véran in 2014. The whole operation, based at Milly, is now looked after by Caroline Gon under the supervision of Dominique Lafon and totals 26 hectares. The vineyards are now biodynamic, and the wines are vinified partly in stainless steel, partly in large wooden foudres and partly in demimuids, depending on the cuvée. It hailed a little in St Véran. Harvest began on 15th September, finishing with the Mâcon-Bussières on 1st October, allowing Dominique and his cellar master, Caroline Gon, to pick each of their parcels at the perfect level of ripeness. Caroline explained that the acidity levels of the 2016s are not dissimilar to those of 2015, but that the lower alcohol means the wines feel fresher and more energetic.

Full mid-primrose colour, this is luscious on the nose, with good fruit and oak integration. It is succulent but not heavy on the palate, pleasingly persistent with very good balancing acidity. The fruit certainly lingers here. Drink 2018-2021.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

This is more aromatic and carefree than, say, Les Cras, with stone fruit and just a hint of coconut on the nose. It is ripe and generous, but with plenty of refreshing acidity and, again, a sense of more to come over the next five years (and beyond) thanks to its remarkable concentration. The finish is long and balanced, leaving no doubt about this wine’s pedigree.  
Will Heslop - Wine Buyer

Olivier, who normally picks after his neighbours, was out harvesting before them this year, starting at the end of August. The hot, dry wind in that period really concentrated both the sugars and the acidity in the grapes. Everything ripened rapidly so Olivier made sure to privilege his best terroirs, and completed the harvest in five fewer days than usual. 

Lovely sensual, sunny bouquet, not over musky and picked early without a single grain of rot. The flavour swells to the back of the palate. A really beautiful finish, very exciting. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Poor spring with difficult flowering, though this varied from one vineyard to another. Old vines suffered worse. The reds were later to flower, with better results, and for the first time were picked after the whites, which needed to be harvested quickly before rot set in. The balance of the whites has ended up quite similar to 2012, with the same acidity but the fruit more exuberant in style. One technical note on quality: Olivier presses his whites for much longer now, which intensifies the dry extract and will preserve longevity.

This east-facing parcel is made up of long rows on a slope, so the grapes ripen in stages and have to be picked in successive tries (passes through the vineyard). It’s fermented and aged for the first year in barrel, then transferred to tank before the next harvest. From the first sniff, this is a wine of freshness, with green apple aromas and a touch of white pear. The palate has bright fruit and a long, salty finish. Drink 2021-2026.

Located at the foot of the north side of the Roche de Vergisson, this is a cool site which has come into its own in recent warm vintages. Most (80%) of the wine went to tank, while the remaining 20% went to barrel. Fresh and juicy, this has a charming nose of white flowers and orchard fruit, and the palate has crisp apple flavours and crunchy acidity. Drink now to 2024.

This vineyard has a high proportion of Chardonnay Muscaté, which gives the wine its characteristic floral nose, rose petals mingling with confit lemon. Olivier picks this vineyard early to make sure there is plenty of acidity to give balance to the perfume. Ripe and generous, but with a salivating acid-driven finish. Drink 2021-2025.

A much bigger cuvée, yielding around 30 barrels, this is a site Olivier knows well. As the name suggests, it is a well-exposed slope, and it is the richest and most powerful of the St Véran wines, but with a pure, focused finish that is almost chewy in character. Drink2023-2028.

St Véran is expected to receive Premier Cru status in the next few years, and 90 percent of the vineyards that make up this cuvée are likely to be classified at that level. The nose is inviting with plenty of juicy fruit. In the mouth, it is initially rich, with plenty of concentration and a spicy, mineral finish. Drink 2019-2023.