| Country: | France |
| Region: | Burgundy |
| Winery: | Philippe Milan et Fils |
| Grape Type: | Pinot Noir |
| Vintage: | 2012 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
The Mercurey "Les Vaux" from Domaine Philippe Milan is a red wine from the renowned Côte Chalonnaise appellation in Burgundy.
The Côte Chalonnaise, located between the Côte de Beaune and the Mâconnais, benefits from a continental climate punctuated by significant temperature variations, ideal for the ripening of Pinot Noir. The clay-limestone soils characteristic of this region impart structure, minerality, and elegance to the wine. Mercurey is one of the most renowned appellations of the Côte Chalonnaise, boasting a long winemaking history that has contributed to the fame of elegant Burgundy red wines.
The vintage is balanced and marked by a lovely freshness thanks to relatively mild weather, resulting in supple tannins and vibrant fruit.
Philippe Milan Bourgogne Blanc is made from 100% Chardonnay
The wine is produced from vines planted in the commune of Chassey le Camp at high elevation, which brings freshness to this Chardonnay. Ripe fruit is nicely balanced with delicate notes of oak and a hint of citrus on the finish. Full flavored and complex.
Philippe Milan Bourgogne Blanc is made from 100% Chardonnay
The wine is produced from vines planted in the commune of Chassey le Camp at high elevation, which brings freshness to this Chardonnay. Ripe fruit is nicely balanced with delicate notes of oak and a hint of citrus on the finish. Full flavored and complex.
Philippe Milan Pommard AOC is 100% Pinot Noir
This wine has been aged in Oak (25% new Oak)
This is a little more structured and the style goes more toward the
"vin de garde", or wines meant to age. This wine needs some food, or sometime
in the decanter right now. It is well structured and reminds me of a Volnay. As
a matter of fact, the parcel is located right next to Volnay. The finish is
long and still quite juicy with chewy tannins lingering.
Bertrand Bachelet Maranges Rouge is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The Maranges appellation is the youngest of the Côte de Beaune family, making its debut in May 1989. It spans three villages: Dezize-les-Maranges, Cheilly-les-Maranges and Sampigny-les-Maranges. Several hills and slopes make up this appellation, that are south/south-east-facing. This appellation produces mainly red wines comprising 95% of total production.
Bertrand Bachelet Maranges is produced from two villages, Aux Artaux and En Crevèches, both situated in the Cheilly-les-Maranges area. The vineyards spreads over 1.42 hectare (3.50 acres).
The wine offers a deep red color with purplish highlights, a powerful nose with aromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, and small red candied fruits. A silky texture, fresh and elegant on the palate.
Ideally paired with red meat or a more exotic dish, such as nems, grilled ribs or braised pork.
Philippe Milan Maranges Rouge 2012 is made from 100% Pinot Noir
This is very Burgundian in style, with fruity, rich and strong falvors. This reminds me of a Marsannay Rouge, Elegant and strong at the same time, with some oak flavors, quite well integrated.
Domaine Philippe Milan et Fils
Domaine Philippe Milan et Fils is located in the hamlet of Valotte in Chassey-Le-Camp (20 kms NW of Chalon-sur-Saone).
90% of the production is sold in France, while export only represent 10%.
The Estate was Founded in the 1950's by Karl's Grand Father.
Karl Milan is the owner and winemaker. He took over the family Estate and his first vintage was 2001.
The vineyards are located between Chalon-sur-Saône and Beaune.
They currently own 11 hectares (27 acres) and work in the following AOC:
• Bourgogne Aligoté - 2.6 hectares (100% sold to the Domestic market)
• Cote Chalonnaise
• Rully and Rully Premier Cru
• Mercurey and Mercurey Premier Cru
• Maranges Premier Cru
• Santenay Premier Cru
• Pommard
This Estate produce between 500 and 600 hectoliters (depending on the harvest) and the breakdown is as follow: 50% red wines and 50% white wines.
Ossian Capitel Verdejo is made from 100% Verdejo.
Ossian Capital represents a particular expression of very old Verdejo vines, taking its potential far finesse, elegance and longevity. It is made in selected years with a selection of extraordinary grapes.
Color: Old golden yellow color with greenish reflections.
Aromas: Surprisingly nuanced and profound.
Flavors: Fresh, full and very light.
Review:
"The 2020 Capitel is pure Verdejo from the oldest vines from the Peña Aguda vineyard in the village of Nieva on slate soils. This is the last vineyard to be bottled and has higher alcohol (14%) than the rest of the vineyards despite now harvesting earlier. The wine has a different aromatic profile but getting closer to the style of Ossian, less opulent than in the past, with more energy, quite fruit-driven with some exotic notes reminiscent of banana skin. The whole clusters were pressed and the juice put to ferment in barrel where the wine matured with the lees and, starting this year, without bâtonnage, because they feel the wines have enough volume and stirring the lees can bring more oxidation to the wine. 2,500 bottles produced. - Luis GUTIERREZ"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (January 31st 2023), 93+ pts
Zena Crown Vineyard The Sum Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Massed from multiple vineyard blocks and clones, this wine has a timeless beauty that can be inherently understood by innate human nature. Wines of this stature, much like great art, reflect the complex and compelling relationship between humanity and Earth. Expressing Autumn, S (The Sum) leads with Gala
apple, Japanese plum, gun powder, dirt, and garlic power on the nose, with barely ripe cherry on the finish. 60% whole-cluster fermentation bolsters the wine, sustaining the tannic imprint and tension that uncoils like a rattlesnake strike on the finish.
Review:
A jeweled ruby hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir The Sum takes on fantastic crystalline and pure aromas of wild strawberries, raspberries, dark stones, menthol, and cedar spice, but it’s not very oaky. Medium-bodied, it has ripe tannins, with ripe acidity and a bit more modest acidity compared to the other wines from Zena Crown, but it’s long on the palate, with a more autumnal sensibility, and it’s going to show its best over the next 12-15 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points