Gouffier 'Clos l’Évêque' Mercurey 1er Cru AOC 2021

Frédéric Gueugneau grew up near the Domaine Gouffier and worked his way up in the operation until, when Jérôme Gouffier passed away, Frédéric was there to take over. Together with partner Benoît Pagot, Frédéric draws from a few different vineyards in the Côte Chalonnaise. All of their wines are aged in barrels made by the same cooper, Doreau Tonneliers of Cognac, often using wood from the local forest outside of Gouffier’s village of Fontaines. This Mercurey premier cru comes from the vineyard called “Clos l’Évêque”—so named because, back in 1548, it belonged to the bishops of Chalon. In fact, wine from the site was used at mass, though it also came to be known as a wine to be celebrated in its own right. Harvested by hand, this cuvée fermented with indigenous yeasts in barrel. It displays a powerful, dense fruit balanced with an intriguing spiciness, leading to a finish that lasts. Organically grown, certified sustainable.