A refined and mineral Premier Cru Chardonnay from the south-west-facing Les Champs Martin vineyard in Mercurey.
The 2024 Les Champs Martin Blanc combines citrus, white peach and delicate floral notes with subtle almond, spice and restrained oak. The palate balances Chardonnay richness with fresh acidity, limestone-derived tension and a distinctive saline character.
A serious white Burgundy that combines texture, freshness and mineral length, with excellent potential for medium-term bottle development.
Region: Burgundy, France
Subregion: Côte Chalonnaise
Appellation: Mercurey Premier Cru AOC
Premier Cru: Les Champs Martin
Vintage: 2024
Producer: Domaine Theulot-Juillot
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Altitude: Approximately 300 Metres
Exposure: South-West
Soils: White Marl & Limestone
Harvest: Hand-Harvested
Style: Dry White Burgundy
Les Champs Martin is one of Mercurey's established Premier Cru climats and is particularly interesting because Domaine Theulot-Juillot produces both red and white wine from the site.
The Chardonnay occupies the higher portion of the vineyard at approximately 300 meters elevation, above the Pinot Noir.
The slope faces south-west, providing sufficient afternoon sunshine for Chardonnay to achieve maturity.
The terroir is particularly important.
White marl combines with limestone lying relatively close to the surface, giving the wine both concentration and a pronounced mineral character.
Jean-Claude Theulot considers Champs Martin particularly well suited to Chardonnay, producing wines distinguished by their length and salinity.
Domaine Theulot-Juillot farms its vineyards with an emphasis on preserving the character of the individual climat.
The estate avoids herbicides and cultivates vineyard soils mechanically.
The team harvests entirely by hand, transporting the fruit in small crates and carefully selecting it before vinification.
The Chardonnay is matured with oak to provide texture and complexity, while retaining the freshness and mineral character that distinguish Les Champs Martin.
The objective is not an overtly oaked Chardonnay, but a balanced white Burgundy in which fruit, texture, acidity and terroir remain clearly identifiable.
Nose:
White flowers, lemon and citrus peel initially, followed by white peach and pear. With air, subtle notes of almond, hazelnut, gentle spice and restrained toast emerge.
Palate:
Fresh and precise on entry, with citrus and orchard fruit developing into a broader, more rounded mid-palate.
White peach and lemon are supported by subtle oak-derived texture, while fresh acidity provides definition.
Structure:
Medium-bodied, balancing Chardonnay richness with mineral tension and freshness.
The limestone and marl contribute a particularly attractive saline quality.
Finish:
Long and energetic, with white peach, citrus, chalk and a persistent saline-mineral character.
Les Champs Martin Blanc is one of Domaine Theulot-Juillot's more serious expressions of Chardonnay.
The vineyard's combination of south-west exposure, approximately 300 meters of elevation and limestone-rich white marl provides an excellent environment for Chardonnay.
The exposure allows sufficient ripeness, while the altitude and limestone preserve freshness.
The result is a white Burgundy that combines fruit and texture with mineral precision.
The 2024 should emphasize citrus, white peach, and floral aromatics in youth, complemented by subtle almond and restrained oak.
The palate offers greater breadth than a simple Mercurey Blanc, while its acidity and distinctive saline character keep the wine focused.
This Premier Cru is built on balance rather than weight.
The 2024 Burgundy vintage was challenging and produced a relatively small harvest.
Cooler and wetter growing conditions reduced yields considerably compared with the abundant 2022 and 2023 vintages.
For Chardonnay, however, carefully managed vineyards produced wines with attractive freshness, aromatic precision, and acidity.
That profile should suit Les Champs Martin particularly well.
The site's south-west exposure assists ripening, while its elevation and limestone-rich soils provide natural freshness.
The 2024 should therefore lean toward citrus, white fruit and mineral tension rather than excessive richness.
Drink: 2026–2036
Preferred Window: 2028–2034
The 2024 can be approached young, particularly by those who enjoy white Burgundy for freshness, citrus fruit and mineral tension.
However, I would ideally give this wine another two to three years in the bottle.
From approximately 2028, the youthful citrus and white peach should begin integrating more completely with the wine's oak-derived texture.
At that point, expect the profile to broaden toward:
Preserved Lemon · White Peach · Hazelnut · Almond · Brioche · Beeswax · Chalk · Saline Mineral
while retaining the freshness characteristic of the vintage.
I would expect the wine to show particularly well from the late 2020s through the early 2030s.
Well-stored bottles should continue developing beyond that point.
Serving Temperature: 11–12°C
If drinking young, open approximately 30 minutes before serving.
No decanting is needed.
Use a generous white Burgundy glass and allow the wine to warm gradually at the table.
The combination of Chardonnay texture, acidity, and salinity makes Les Champs Martin particularly suitable for refined seafood and poultry.
Recommended Pairings:
Imperial Gold Osetra Caviar · Scallops · Langoustines · Lobster · King Crab · Turbot · Dover Sole · Sea Bass · Sole Meunière · Roast Chicken · Veal · Morels · Mushroom Risotto · Comté
Pair Les Champs Martin 2024 with scallops, langoustines, or turbot.
The wine's Chardonnay texture works beautifully with butter-based sauces, while its mineral and saline character provides sufficient freshness to keep the pairing precise.
For something richer, I would particularly recommend roast chicken with morels.
Serve at about 11–12°C in a Burgundy glass, and let the wine develop through the meal.
Since you now have both of Domaine Theulot-Juillot's white Premier Crus, I would position them differently on the website.
Les Champs Martin 2024
White Peach · Citrus · Texture · Limestone · Salinity · Length
Les Saumonts 2024
Citrus · Orchard Fruit · Freshness · Higher Altitude · Mineral Precision
Les Champs Martin is the more textural, saline expression, with white marl and shallow limestone adding length and mineral definition.
Les Saumonts, at approximately 300–325 meters, emphasizes freshness and slower ripening.
Together, they illustrate how two Mercurey Premier Cru Chardonnay vineyards from the same producer and vintage can express distinctly different terroirs.
