Why it matters
The producer
In Beaune, Chanson ages wines in the Bastion de l'Oratoire, a historic fortified cellar with exceptionally thick walls. Domaine Chanson Père et Fils is the domaine name used for Maison Chanson's own wines, while the business also operates as a négociant. Its domaine wines follow a domaine philosophy, with organic farming and holdings concentrated in Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards.
The domaine produces approximately 17,000 cases each year. The range includes village and Premier Cru reds, with named bottles from Mercurey and Beaune. Red wines are aged in barrel and released without fining or filtration.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Chanson's wines come from Burgundy's Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise. Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Fèves belongs to the Côte de Beaune, while Mercurey Rouge and Mercurey Premier Cru Clos L'Evêque come from the Côte Chalonnaise.
A village wine carries the name of its appellation, while a Premier Cru names a classified vineyard level within that appellation. Clos des Fèves is a monopole, meaning one domaine controls the vineyard rather than sharing its farming among several owners.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Chanson holds 62 acres of Premier Cru vineyards in the Côte de Beaune. Its Premier Cru monopolies include Clos des Fèves, Clos des Mouches, and Corton Vergennes. These are sites where one producer controls the farming and the resulting wine.
Organic farming is part of the domaine work. In the cellar, wines age in the Bastion de l'Oratoire, a fifteenth century fortification tower. Its walls measure 24 feet thick at the base, creating a cool, heavy stone environment for ageing.
Wines to know
The range in view
The red range moves from Mercurey Rouge, a village level Pinot Noir, to Mercurey Premier Cru Clos L'Evêque and Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Fèves Monopole. The Premier Cru bottles name particular vineyards, while Mercurey Rouge gives the range a village level expression.
Other bottles carry the names Passe Tout Grains, Rully, and Bourgogne Aligoté, extending the range across red and white Burgundy. The named red Premier Cru wines form the most site specific part of the collection, with Clos L'Evêque from Mercurey and Clos des Fèves from Beaune.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Domaine Chanson Mercurey Rouge is the first bottle to open. It is a village level Pinot Noir from south west facing mid slope sites in marl and limestone.