Bruno Lorenzon Pièce 15 Mercurey Premier Cru 2018

Bruno Lorenzon is a third-generation vigneron who’s spent nearly three decades obsessively farming his vineyards in the under-the-radar Burgundian village of Murcurey. His dedication and craftsmanship is woven through the core of his sensational – yet reasonably priced – wines. We’re over the moon to have not one, not two, but four of his remarkable Premier Cru Chardonnays on offer for you today! 

Georges Lorenzon founded the family estate in the 1920s, and Lorenzo took over in 1997 after spending time as a consultant in New Zealand and South Africa.
Before all of that, he took an apprenticeship close to home, as the international commercial director of a cooperage in Mercurey. His time spent there impacted the way he vinifies now, meticulously selecting his own oak in the forest and building his own barrels, with a preference for only light toasting to allow the natural wood’s characteristics to translate through to the wines.

"Bruno Lorenzon's exceptional wines continue to expand the parameters of the possible in the Côte Chalonnaise, shattering the glass ceiling that's typically imposed upon the wines of Mercurey." –William Kelley, Burgundy writer for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

His farming techniques are equally intense, with vines trained higher than any of his neighbors’, and strict organic practices (a rarity in his appellation). He plants his vines incredibly close together, and the soils haven’t seen a chemical in more than 30 years, resulting in significantly lower yields than the nearby vineyards. Yet, his wines seem to tremendously surpass anything else coming out of this appellation in style, quality, and structure. Named a Winemaker of the Year by La Revue du Vin de France, he farms about nine hectares across Mercurey and Montagny today with his sister, Carline, slowly convincing the world of the magic capable of being coaxed out of this corner of Burgundy. 

Despite the plain "Pièce 15" name, this is a white – a selection of the best grapes from 15 tiny plots, mostly on the Champs Martin premier cru but also drawing on Croichots and Clos des Barraults. From old vines that generate low yields, it is bottled in tiny quantities and aged around 18 months with no new oak in barrels dried and made at the domaine.