Vincent Charton makes a range of exciting wines in and around his home village of Mercurey in the Côte Chalonnaise. While he’s only in his mid-thirties, he’s taken the family domaine up several gears over the past decade he’s been at the helm. His talents are clear, and his Burgundies show the nuanced aspects of their excellent terroirs and his skillful, low-intervention winemaking which includes hand-picking, wild yeasts and, in the case of his Chardonnay, whole bunch maceration. Although the Charton family has been making wine in Mercurey since 1941, it was his father Jean-Pierre who saw the domaine properly established and from whom Vincent inherited parcels in some of Mercurey’s finest premiers crus. Vincent farms the domaine’s 11.5 hectares sensitively, dedicating himself to soil health and keeping yields low to allow his grapes to achieve greater ripeness. He makes eight wines in total, with four premiers crus across Mercurey, including Clos du Roy which has plots of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines.

Mercurey is the flagship appellation of the Côte Chalonnaise in Burgundy, renowned above all for its expressive Pinot Noir. As one of the five communal titles of the Chalonnaise, it stands out both in scale and reputation, producing structured, age-worthy reds that rival those from more famous Côte d’Or villages. While Pinot Noir dominates, Chardonnay also has a presence here—accounting for roughly 20% of production—yielding vibrant, mineral-driven Mercurey Blanc.

Historically so influential that the Côte Chalonnaise was once called the “Région de Mercurey,” the appellation remains central to the area’s identity. Covering about 650 hectares of limestone-rich slopes, Mercurey produces more wine than Rully and Givry combined, averaging close to three million liters annually. Its climate is broadly continental, with warm summers and dry autumns fostering excellent ripening conditions. Cooler winters and higher vineyard altitudes temper the warmth, ensuring freshness and balance in the wines.

The red wines of Mercurey are noted for their depth of colour, firm structure, and ability to age gracefully—qualities supported by stricter yield regulations, closer to those of the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune than the rest of the Chalonnaise. Around a quarter of the vineyards are classified as Premier Cru, with 32 officially recognised 'climats' adding further nuance and prestige.

Created in 1936, the Mercurey appellation today continues to deliver some of Burgundy’s most compelling wines, combining accessibility, character, and pedigree.

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most celebrated and challenging grape varieties, renowned for producing elegant, complex wines. Believed to have originated in Burgundy, France, over 1,000 years ago, it thrives in cooler climates where its thin skin and early ripening nature are best suited. Viticulturally, Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to grow: it is susceptible to rot, mildew, and pests, and requires precise canopy management to balance ripening with acidity retention.

Pinot Noir is planted across the globe, with notable expressions found in Burgundy, Champagne, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, California’s Sonoma Coast, New Zealand’s Central Otago, and Germany’s Baden and Pfalz regions. In Champagne, it is a key component of sparkling wines, typically blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The wine's diverse geographical range means that you might also find it labelled as Red Burgundy, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, or Spätburgunder.

The grape produces wines of delicate colour but remarkable aromatic depth. Typical flavour profiles include red fruits such as cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, often layered with floral notes, earthy undertones, and hints of spice or forest floor as the wines mature. Styles range from light and silky to more structured and age-worthy, depending on climate and winemaking choices. Pinot Noir’s ability to express terroir with precision makes it a favourite among wine lovers, despite — or perhaps because of — its demanding nature in the vineyard.