Origin
The soils in Mercurey are rich in red clay and limestone, allowing for richly flavoured yet elegant wines. Sustainable practices are followed in the vineyards and the wines are certified “Quality France” and “Terra Vitis”. The soils are managed through tillage with permanent grass cover and without the use of herbicides, to provide a biologically active soil life. Green harvesting and leaf stripping are carried out to control yields and to maintain the health of the grapes by improving air circulation.
Producer
Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi (formerly Château de Santenay) was once the stately home of Philip the Bold, the first Duke of Burgundy. The duke was famous for banning the cultivation of Gamay in the Côte d’Or, in his edict of 1395 which stated that only Pinot Noir could be used to produce red wines from these fabled slopes.
The Château has a flamboyant, multi-coloured tiled roof ‘en tuile vernissée de Bourgogne’, one of the region’s most distinctive architectural traditions. In 2010, it was taken over by French bank Crédit Agricole after an extended period of neglect. The current owners have invested heavily in the estate, building a modern cuverie in 2014 and appointing a new, dynamic team led by Chef de Cave François des Moutis. François is focused on expressing the quality of the domaine’s single vineyards through sensitive winemaking. By embracing minimal new oak and gentler extraction, today, the wines of Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi offer supple, characterful expressions of their well-respected sites.
The domaine owns 106 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards which they are converting to organics. 72 hectares are in Mercurey, while 18 are in Côte d’Or villages, such as Chassagne and Saint-Aubin.
Grape Variety
100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol Percentage
13%
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