The wines are grown on a south-facing slope, with plenty of sunlight, and mature very well. The wines are made up of red sand and pebbles rich in manganese. There is also a manganese mine nearby. The wines are aged in barrels for 18 months, lightly filtered, and bottled. The history of this domaine began in 1987 when the owner, Olivier Meurlan, who studied winemaking in the Jura and California, purchased and inherited the historic Domaine des Vieux Saint-Sorlin, which has been in operation since the Middle Ages in the Maconnais region. The Maconnais region is at a higher altitude than the Cote d'Or, and the steeply sloping fields are characterized by strong winds. 95% of producers in the Maconnais region spray herbicides and harvest by hand, but Meurlan has never used chemical fertilizers or herbicides from the beginning to the present, and has frequently tilled the fields. This is one of the few Domaines that selects healthy, ripe grapes and harvests them by hand. Grapes grown on windy slopes are less susceptible to pests, so there is no need to spray pesticides. The grapes are harvested in small boxes to prevent damage before fermentation, and the grapes are sorted again on a selection table before quickly being placed in fermentation tanks for fermentation. Chardonnay is fermented whole, Pinot Noir is 100% destemmed (Gamay is fermented whole bunch). Full malolactic fermentation, no collage, no filtering or minimal filtering before bottling. Olivier, who makes wines by hand, has confirmed his position as a leader among high-quality wineries in the Maconnais region. Olivier, who knows the area well long before the winemakers of the Côte d'Or entered the Maconnais region, has had many aspiring winemakers, including Raphael, the fourth generation owner of Domaine Coche-Dury, visit him as trainees. In addition, Master of Wine Jasper Morris has introduced Olivier as one of the best winemakers representing the Macon region. Furthermore, in 2012, he established a new winery, Chateau des Cars, together with Dominique, the owner of Comte Lafon, a top Meursault domaine. His two sons, Theo and Paul, are now also involved in the domaine, and expectations are high for further improvements in quality in the future.
[The unique character of the Mâcon region, according to Domaine Merlant]
● Mâcon-La Roche-Vineuse
...Minerality, saltiness, freshness
●Pouilly-Fuissé
...Long aftertaste, powerful, long-term aging type
●Saint-Veran
...Feminine, smooth, fruity