Olivier Merlin
Les Cras Macon La Roche-Vineuse Chardonnay
Mâcon La Roche-Vineuse, Mâconnais, Burgundy, France
Funky malo, earth, surprisingly a good amount of oak, bright acid.
Funky malo, earth, surprisingly a good amount of oak, bright acid.
Sep 29th, 2015
Notes from La Paulee 2023 in NYC. Ripe yellow apple, oak spices, subtle Brioche. Medium acidity.
Notes from La Paulee 2023 in NYC. Ripe yellow apple, oak spices, subtle Brioche. Medium acidity.
Jun 11th, 2023
2024/8/27. Merlin’s Cras is known (or at least noted by Jasper Morris) as being long-lived, and I’ve enjoyed bottles at 10 years. (I’d like to try older vintages…) But this is lovely now as well - perhaps it’s the vintage, but there’s a focus reminiscent of Chablis paired with Southern richness. Cool lemon, stone and custard on the nose, acid, mineral and fruity body in balance on the palate.
2024/8/27. Merlin’s Cras is known (or at least noted by Jasper Morris) as being long-lived, and I’ve enjoyed bottles at 10 years. (I’d like to try older vintages…) But this is lovely now as well - perhaps it’s the vintage, but there’s a focus reminiscent of Chablis paired with Southern richness. Cool lemon, stone and custard on the nose, acid, mineral and fruity body in balance on the palate.
Aug 27th, 20242024 summer. This was in a really nice place - less primary than the 2020, but much fresher than some bottles of the 2015 have been
2024 summer. This was in a really nice place - less primary than the 2020, but much fresher than some bottles of the 2015 have been
Aug 14th, 20242022 fall - a bit more advanced than the previous lot
2022 fall - a bit more advanced than the previous lot
Dec 26th, 2022
2022/8. This was less advanced (in a good way) compared to the first bottle of my recent lot of 3 - in a good place, rich but balanced and lively
2022/8. This was less advanced (in a good way) compared to the first bottle of my recent lot of 3 - in a good place, rich but balanced and lively
Aug 29th, 20222022/5/28 with tai sashimi 2 ways, tomato in dashi, chicken and new onion in pea and white miso soup, etc. There may be some bias since I’ve been looking for bottles like this since being reminded of how good classicist white Burgundy is with Kyoto food, but this really did it, and even more so considering the price. Savory, salty minerals, butter and citrus, the requisite oak, some honey from maturity - it all just works.
2022/5/28 with tai sashimi 2 ways, tomato in dashi, chicken and new onion in pea and white miso soup, etc. There may be some bias since I’ve been looking for bottles like this since being reminded of how good classicist white Burgundy is with Kyoto food, but this really did it, and even more so considering the price. Savory, salty minerals, butter and citrus, the requisite oak, some honey from maturity - it all just works.
May 28th, 2022Summer 2021. The oak is somewhat prominent at this stage - going off a 2011 that I had, it’ll integrate more in a few years.
Summer 2021. The oak is somewhat prominent at this stage - going off a 2011 that I had, it’ll integrate more in a few years.
Aug 8th, 2021