A concentrated yet refined Premier Cru Pinot Noir from the south-facing Les Croichots vineyard in Mercurey.
The 2023 Les Croichots shows an attractive combination of cassis, blackberry and ripe cherry, complemented by violet, subtle spice and underlying earthiness.
The palate is precise and generous, with ripe dark fruit, fresh acidity and fine tannins. Twelve to fifteen months in barrel, with only 20% new oak, provides texture and complexity without overwhelming the fruit.
A particularly appealing Côte Chalonnaise Pinot Noir combining dark-fruited richness with Burgundian freshness and finesse.
Region: Burgundy, France
Subregion: Côte Chalonnaise
Appellation: Mercurey Premier Cru AOC
Premier Cru: Les Croichots
Vintage: 2023
Producer: Domaine Theulot-Juillot
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.5% ABV
Vineyard Area: 1.20 Hectares
Vine Age: Approximately 30 Years Average
Exposure: South
Soils: Clay-Limestone & Marl
Harvest: Hand-Harvested
Destemming: 100%
Ageing: 12–15 Months in French Oak
New Oak: Approximately 20%
Style: Dry Red Burgundy
Les Croichots is composed of four separate parcels covering approximately 1.2 hectares.
The different ages and origins of the vines create considerable diversity within the vineyard, which Domaine Theulot-Juillot considers an important component of the wine's complexity.
The vines average approximately 30 years of age.
The vineyard enjoys a fully southern exposure, encouraging reliable Pinot Noir ripening.
Its soils change as the slope descends.
Higher sections contain relatively poor, marl-dominated clay-limestone soils, while the middle of the slope becomes richer and more complex.
This combination helps explain the character of Les Croichots: sufficient warmth and soil depth to produce generous dark fruit, balanced by the mineral freshness required to maintain definition.
The domaine farms without herbicides, working the soils mechanically and carefully controlling yields.
Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand into small crates, followed by sorting at the winery.
The grapes are 100% destemmed.
A cold pre-fermentation maceration lasts approximately three to five days at 12°C, followed by approximately 15 days of fermentation and maceration.
Extraction is achieved through a combination of pigeage and remontage, with the precise frequency adjusted according to the characteristics of the vintage.
The wine is then matured entirely in French oak barrels for 12–15 months, with approximately 20% new oak.
Only light filtration is used before bottling when necessary.
Nose:
Cassis and blackberry lead initially, followed by ripe cherry and raspberry. With air, violet, subtle spice and gentle earthy notes emerge.
Palate:
Precise and generous, with ripe blackberry, cassis and cherry through the centre of the palate. Fresh acidity provides definition while fine-grained tannins give the wine structure.
Structure:
Medium-bodied with very good fruit concentration, fresh acidity and controlled tannins. The relatively modest proportion of new oak adds texture and spice without dominating the Pinot Noir.
Finish:
Persistent and fresh, with dark berries, cherry and a subtle sweet-sour red fruit character complemented by spice and mineral notes.
Les Croichots 2023 is a particularly attractive expression of Premier Cru Mercurey.
The vineyard's four parcels and changing soils create a wine with both complexity and balance.
Its southern exposure provides sufficient warmth for Pinot Noir to develop ripe fruit, while the marl and limestone maintain freshness and definition.
The 2023 vintage brings an appealing combination of dark and red fruit.
Cassis and blackberry are particularly noticeable, complemented by cherry, raspberry and floral notes.
The palate is precise yet generous, with fine tannins and enough acidity to prevent the wine from becoming heavy.
Ageing entirely in barrel adds texture, while the restrained 20% new oak allows the vineyard character to remain clearly visible.
The result is a Mercurey with depth, freshness and considerable versatility at the table.
The estate itself describes its 2023 red Premier Crus as elegant, slender and subtle, and that character is evident in Les Croichots.
The vintage produced sufficient ripeness to give the wine attractive cassis, blackberry and cherry fruit without sacrificing freshness.
The relatively approachable tannins make the 2023 enjoyable earlier than a particularly firm or concentrated vintage, although several years in bottle should add greater complexity.
For Les Croichots, this makes 2023 particularly appealing: ripe fruit without excessive weight, supported by freshness and fine tannic structure.
Drink: Now–2035
Preferred Window: 2027–2033
The 2023 can certainly be enjoyed now, particularly for those who appreciate young Burgundy for its fruit and energy.
At present, expect cassis, blackberry, cherry and raspberry, accompanied by violet, fresh acidity and fine tannins.
If opening now, give the wine approximately 30–45 minutes of air in the bottle or a generous Burgundy glass.
There is no need for aggressive decanting.
I would expect the wine to become noticeably more integrated from approximately 2027 onward.
With further bottle age, the youthful dark fruit should gradually be joined by:
Dried Cherry · Dried Flowers · Forest Floor · Mushroom · Tea Leaf · Savoury Herbs · Gentle Spice
The domaine traditionally suggests approximately 5–8 years of cellaring, so I would favour enjoying most bottles through the early 2030s rather than treating this as a Burgundy requiring decades in the cellar.
Serving Temperature: 15–16°C
In practical terms: drink now for ripe fruit and freshness; hold another 2–4 years for greater integration and savoury complexity.
The darker fruit and Premier Cru structure of Les Croichots allow it to accompany somewhat richer dishes than lighter expressions of Pinot Noir.
Recommended Pairings:
Duck Breast · Duck Confit · Roast Chicken · Quail · Pork Tenderloin · Veal · Lamb · Beef Tenderloin · Venison · Game Birds · Mushroom Risotto · Porcini · Comté · Époisses
Pair Les Croichots 2023 with duck breast, veal with mushrooms or roast lamb.
The wine's cassis and blackberry character gives it sufficient depth for richer meat preparations, while its acidity and Pinot Noir finesse prevent it from becoming heavy.
I would particularly like this with duck breast and a light cherry jus.
With additional bottle age, dishes involving porcini, morels or truffle should become increasingly interesting as the wine develops its more savoury secondary characteristics.
Since you now have both 2023 Premier Crus, they are worth positioning separately.
Les Croichots 2023
Cassis · Blackberry · Cherry · Generous · Precise · Fine Tannins
Les Combins 2023
Red Cherry · Raspberry · Violet · Mineral · Structured · Savoury
Les Croichots leans toward darker fruit and a more immediately generous personality.
Les Combins emphasizes mineral purity, red fruit and a somewhat more structured expression.
Together, they provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how two individual Mercurey Premier Cru terroirs from the same producer and vintage can produce noticeably different expressions of Pinot Noir.
