No one, outside of the growers who have long resided in the village itself, has deeper roots (as it were) in the Cote Chalonnaise village of Mercurey than Domaine Faiveley. The family’s holdings in the appellation go back centuries are unparalleled in both breadth and quality. Their multitude of single vineyard bottlings of both Mercurey Rouge and Blanc are some of the most coveted, long-lived examples from the appellation you will ever find. And if anyone is in a better position to make two different ‘village’ level cuvees of Mercurey Rouge, I’ve not heard of them. The so-called ‘regular’ Mercurey is a lovely red with good concentration and a lot of the appellation’s noted rusticity, acidity and structure. But, they make a second cuvee consisting of just the older vines they farm within the village’s confines. This Vieilles Vignes red is sort of a Reserve-level wine with not only the oldest vines but also the best exposures combined to make a more nuanced, complex wine with Mercurey’s textbook depth, spiciness and concentration on display. Not as austere and edgy as the Faiveley Mercureys of years past, the recently-arrived 2021 is the best example of this wine we’ve ever tasted- an aromatic, exceedingly charming Pinot Noir with all of the florality, muscularity, gentle rusticity and great fruit you could ask from the appellation. The VV gets a touch more wood than the regular Mercurey and it adds a whisp of vanilla and extra texture to the deeply rendered dark, dusky fruit, lifted purple violet, raspberry pastille and cinnamon aromas, spicy, mineral finish and extra flash of black silk on the end. We love Burgundies with these qualities. It makes them food-friendly as well as swoon-worthy drinks all on their own. Use big stems and watch how this gorgeous red develops in the glass as you enjoy it with braised beef, wild mushrooms, richer poultry and duck dishes or a nice ripe Epoisse! Still a fine value, you’ll be happy to open this tonight as well as in ten years. Definitely worth the six bottles required to have it shipped free!