Mercurey Cuvée Hors Ligne Château de Chamirey 2019

This cuvee, bottled solely in magnums with only a little over a thousand exclusive bottles, is grown on a small plot of 1.15 hectares in the hamlet of Les Chavances where Pinot Noir vines have been cultivated since 1988. These are located at the base of an amphitheatre with clay-limestone soil rich in iron and alluvium, creating a microclimate ideal for ripening the grapes. Only the best are chosen after careful sorting: around 30% of the entire harvest ­­is put into vats for an initial cold fermentation, where punching down and pumping over is manually performed several times. After fermentation, the grape must macerates for a few more days before being transferred to oak barrels, a fourth of which are new, to mature for 11 months, followed by a final three months of ageing in tanks.
Hors Ligne boasts an intense red colour with complex aromas of black fruits and violet, topped with a hint of minerality and spices. The mouthfeel is full-bodied yet refreshing and structured by ripe tannins. This wine can be enjoyed young but could also evolve splendidly after cellaring 15 to 20 years.