2022 MERCUREY Vieilles Vignes Domaine François Raquillet, Lea & Sandeman

MERCUREY

2022 Vieilles Vignes Domaine Raquillet

IN STOCK
Grapes Pinot Noir
Colour Red
Origin France, Burgundy
District Côte Chalonnaise
Village Mercurey
ABV 14%

Brilliant ruby. Elegant cherry cordial with medley of small red fruits and notes of undergrowth, hint of reduction; balanced acidity and polished tannins. A rich, approachable Pinot Noir fermented in 20% new French oak, produced from 2 hectares of south and east facing plots of marl and limestone: les Chazeaux, les Ormeaux and le Meix. François Raquillet and his daughter Jeanne know their terroir on the Côte Chalonnaise, where the Raquillets have been vignerons for 12 generations. Great Mercurey typicity. Drinking range: 2026 - 2035 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Feb 2025)

DELIVERY SERVICE
We offer free nationwide delivery on all orders over £150 (excluding Highlands & Islands). Express Delivery options also available.

(from vines that average 65+ years of age). A mild touch of reduction blurs the nuance of the ripe red and dark berry fruit and earth scents that are trimmed in a light application of wood. The rich, voluminous and delicious middle weight flavors possess fine mid-palate density while delivering finale length on the balanced, robust and moderately powerful finale. This is a quality Mercurey villages and worth considering. Drinking range: 2028 - Rating: 89 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)

Cask sample. Mid crimson. Peppery dark-red fruit. Firm, chewy, savoury. Generous fruit in a firm structure. Long, dark-fruited finish. Drinking range: 2025 - 2030 Rating: 16 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Feb 2024)

The first component had been recently sulphured. Glowing red to crimson colour. Plenty of fruit energy. Crunchy fruit, cherries, vigorous and with good length. Another cuvee was more reductive. A third is cleaner with a rich dark colour and fruit to match, but more tannins. Together these should make quite a striking Mercurey. Drinking range: 2026 - 2030 Rating: **** Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy  (Jan 2024)

Domaine Raquillet

François took over the running of this estate from his father, Jean, in 1990, with his wife Emmanuelle. Records show that the same family have made wine in Mercurey since the 1600s, and Francois is the eleventh generation. His daughter Jeanne now works alongside François slowly taking over the day to day work of the domaine, her passion is really viticulture - so she loves her work in the vineyards and represents the 12th generation at the helm of this stellar property.

With eleven hectares under vine, François has substantially reduced yields over the years, introduced higher quality oak barrels (up to 50% new wood for the Premiers Crus) and significantly increased the quality of wines made here. He and Jeanne explain that they try to avoid over-extraction at all costs - their one aim is to deliver the beautifully pure fruit profile they get out of the old vines - they do this with great success. It is a wonderfully transparent style - combined with good mid-palate weight.

Thankfully there were smiles all around this year once again and the sad story of the terrible run of vintages here (in terms of yield) has finally paused. 2022 was back to more normal levels at harvest and the superb 2023 has also kept the cellar well filled. These wines are great value across the range.

Drink le Tour 2026

The Drink Le Tour Mixed Case: A 12-Bottle Journey Through Terroir and Topography
There is a profound connection between the gruelling topography of a grand tour and the terroir that affects great wine. The steep escarpments that test the explosive climbing power of the peloton are the very same bedrocks that force vine roots deep into the earth, yielding wines of crystalline minerality and tension. As the cyclists gear up for the grand tour, we have assembled the ultimate spectators companion: the Drink Le Tour collection.
Taste the Route Stage by Stage:

  • Stage 1: 2023 ACÚSTIC BLANC, Acústic Celler: The journey begins in the punishing heat of the Pyrenean foothills. This brilliant, old-vine Garnacha Blanca offers a wine of profound structural concentration that mirrors the arid, rocky terrain.

  • Stage 4: JEAN-LOUIS DENOIS Méthode Traditionelle Chardonnay-Pinot Noir Brut: As the route flattens into the windswept Languedoc plateaus, we pause for a high-altitude, maverick Pyrenean fizz that beautifully rivals true Champagne.

  • Stage 4: 2021 FIGURE LIBRE Chenin Blanc, Domaine Gayda: A rebellious white wine crafted to defy regional Languedoc conventions with its striking purity and energy.

  • Stage 4: 2022 FIGURE LIBRE Cabernet Franc, Domaine Gayda: The red counterpart to Gayda's rebellious spirit, offering an authentic, expressive, and unadulterated varietal profile.

  • Stage 7: 2019 CHÂTEAU L'ARGENTEYRE Cru Bourgeois Médoc: Sweeping across the Atlantic coastal flats of Bordeaux, this Left Bank red delivers exceptional structure and classic succulent fruit.

  • Stage 7: 2020 LE PESSAC-LÉOGNAN du Domaine de Chevalier: A grand addition showcasing the aristocratic, pine-sheltered elegance and balance of a legendary estate.

  • Stage 11: 2024 SANCERRE Chavignol, Domaine Delaporte: The climbing truly begins in the central Loire. This electric Sancerre perfectly captures the blinding white chalk of the famous Monts Damnés.

  • Stage 12: 2022 BOURGOGNE BLANC, Rémi Jobard: Dropping into the Burgundian heartland, this bottle represents the first step in tasting the region's microscopic geographical fractures.

  • Stage 12: 2022 GIVRY Blanc Clos des Vignes Rondes, Domaine François Lumpp: A luminous and beautifully precise white Burgundy that highlights the exceptional potential of the Côte Chalonnaise.

  • Stage 12: 2022 MERCUREY Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Raquillet: A robust, deeply textured red Burgundy crafted from old vines that anchors the midsection of our tasting journey.

  • Stage 14: 2023 RIBEAUVILLÉ, Domaine Marcel Deiss: The final attritional climbs of the Vosges mountains are rewarded by a profound, co-planted Alsatian field blend grown on a highly complex geological fault line.

  • Stage 21: TANDEM Brut Fleury-la-Rivière, Champagne M & G Heucq NV: As the finish line approaches, we celebrate in the Marne Valley with this deeply complex, autolytic, and celebratory grower Champagne.

Let the athletes do the sweating. All you need is a corkscrew and a glass to enjoy the ultimate grand tour. ```[cite: 10]

  • For full delivery details see our Delivery page.
  • We offer free nationwide* delivery for all orders over £150 with our own vans. We also offer an express delivery service for an additional charge.
  • Order & Collect from any of our 5 London shops. Order by Midnight for collection the next working day from 11am.
  • Private wine storage: we offer a full In Bond and Duty Paid private wine storage service - find out more here.

RELATED PRODUCTS

ORDER     COLLECT

ORDER ONLINE AND COLLECT FROM ONE OF OUR SHOPS