2021 Domaine Theulot Juillot Mercurey Rouge 1er Cru Les Combins, Burgundy

Les Combins is one of Mercurey’s sweet-spot Premiers Crus. Exposed due south, it rises from the village on a slight slope flanked by the two combes of Mercurey. The domaine’s mass-selection cuttings were planted between 1978 and 1988 and sit at 275 metres. The soils are Oxfordian beige marl, and yields are kept below 40 hl/ha.

The winemaking is broadly similar to the Vieilles Vignes, with slightly longer on skins, including a four-day cold soak to leach out the prettiest fruit without extracting tannin. The aging, too, is somewhat longer—14 months instead of 12. Raised with 25% new oak, there is plenty of juicy flesh on the bones, yet this release is mouthwatering and tense with nicely sappy fruits melding with polished Mercury tannins and well-pitched freshness. With plenty in the tank, it’s already showing lots of promise.