In April 2023 an article in Decanter magazine confirmed that the Bollinger group had purchased the 50-hectare Château d’Etroyes estate in Mercurey, Burgundy. Some years before, Bollinger had acquired the illustrious house of Domaine Chanson in Beaune. M.D. of Chanson, Vincent Avenel, is quoted as saying: “Acquiring Château d’Etroyes represents a unique opportunity to consolidate our estate with the addition of 50ha of great terroirs from the Côte Chalonnaise.”
I note that the Château d’Etroyes is now closed for visits, and if they once had a web presence it is no longer showing up on a google search, just a domain name for sale. I wonder if the entire estate and its vineyards will be subsumed into Domaine Chanson, or perhaps ‘re-launched’ after investments have been made?
As it happens, I had a parcel of wine sent from Château d’Etroyes in late 2022, the notes for which I had not yet published, meaning to write an article but unsure of what the future held. Now seemed like a good time to do so. I tasted six wines from their vineyards in Mercurey and nearby Rully, the terroirs where their 50 hectares are to be found, 10 hectares being Premier Cru, and two hectares being Monopoles.
For relatively humble appellations the wines were good, the whites perhaps just out-shining the reds, though the ‘Signature’ Mercurey, a blend of the best barrels from each of their Premier Cru vineyards, was outstanding. All of these wines come from 2019, a warm year with smaller yields but very good acidity, and overall, one rated very highly for the region. I await news with interest of whether Etroyes continues as a stand alone estate and label, or some other arrangement emerges.
The Wines
(2024) Another very nicely judged Chardonnay, matured in barrels for about 11 months, on the lees. Quite a golden colour, but again the oak adds just a shimmer of buttery toast and almond. There's some delicate spice and quite nutty peach and apple. Fine juiciness, mouthwatering citrus and a fine, delicate line of spice and toast, savoury yet sweet and refined, a very nice balance into a long finish.
(2024) Ageing in 500-litre oak barrels for this Chardonnay from d'Etroyes' clay and limestone soils gives plenty of vanilla and honey on the nose, but the fruit beneath is cool and lemony. In the mouth really nice punch of lime and tart Seville orange fruit and acid, smoothed by the oatmeal touch of barrel, but really nice balance, and length, with the finish showing a light spiciness and plenty of acidic verve. No UK retail stockist listed at time of review.
(2024) Sheen of oatmeal and almond, slightly toasty background and very clean citrus and yellow plum. Dry, pithy, but zippy palate, the barrel adding a little tobacco/toasted edge, but lovely clarity and lightly saline acid balance. A clean, delightful white Burgundy.
(2024) From a plot with very deep clay soils, this is a big-scaled and plush Pinot, slicked with vanilla and deep mulberry fruit. In the mouth that sense of plushness continues, a ripe and relatively solid style, creamy tannins and a bit of spice, but balanced and juicy, perhaps a touch of alcohol heat in the finish. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.
(2024) Another lovely Pinot Noir from d'Etroyes, from vines around 50 years old, only around 10% of the oak for ageing being new. Fragrant and elegant despite 14% alcohol, it's all about crushed raspberry and firm-edged cherry fruit on the nose and palate, but there is structure here and enough weight on the palate. Firm tannins, fresh acidity, and the finish is on fruit, delicate spices and crispness.
(2024) What a lovely wine this is, with its crushed raspberry fragrance and delicate floral notes, and a background of graphite and sweet, cool earth. From clay and limestone soils with a southeast exposure, vines are 42 years old and after destemming, the wine was fermented in steel and matured in barrel for 12 months, 10% of the barrels were new. It's a plush wine on the palate, aided by its 14% alcohol, but the depth of sweet, ripe, fleshy fruit melting into chocolate is just gorgeous. Quite long too, the silkiiness of the tannins and ripeness of the acidity do not ruffle the picture into quite a long finish. No UK stockists listed at time of review.
