Domaine Faiveley Mercurey 1er Cru ‘Clos du Roy’ Rouge 2022

Domaine Faiveley has been farming Burgundy since 1825. When you’ve spent two centuries building one of the region’s great estates, 12 Grand Crus and 25 Premier Crus, you don’t need to shout about a 2.5 hectare parcel in Mercurey. But Faiveley knows something most Burgundy collectors don’t: Clos du Roy punches way above its weight.

This walled vineyard formerly belonged to French royalty and was recognized as one of Mercurey’s finest sites long before the Faiveley family bought it in 1971. They believed in it enough to build a dedicated winery in Mercurey in 2015.

South facing limestone and white marl give the wine a finesse that rivals Côte de Nuits Premier Crus. The 2022 is textbook Côte Chalonnaise: ripe plums, damp earth, velvety tannins, and that mineral backbone Burgundy nerds obsess over. 93 points from Decanter. Charles Curtis MW says it’ll drink beautifully through 2040.

Of all Faiveley’s single vineyard Mercurey holdings, this is my personal favorite. Most collectors chase the Grand Crus and ignore the Mercureys. That’s the opportunity.