Domaine Olivier Merlin

Olivier Merlin's first contact with the vines came in 1977, when he worked the harvest at a Mâconnais estate. After a BTS in viticulture and oenology at the viticultural high school in Beaune, he worked for two years as a winemaker at a cooperative in the Jura, where he met Corinne, his future wife. In June 1985 he left for California, where he vinified two vintages in Napa. On 1 January 1987 he took over the Vieux Saint-Sorlin estate: four and a half hectares and an estate to be rebuilt, which had been in the same family since 1750. Merlin SARL was created on 5 September 1997, and on 6 November 1997 the domaine bought the Touziers winery in La Roche-Vineuse, where the first vinification took place with the 1999 vintage. On 20 July 2004 a hailstorm destroyed 80 percent of the vineyard in 20 minutes. The domaine bought 1.7 hectares of Moulin-à-Vent on 19 July 2006, built a new cellar in 2009 and began its 30th harvest on 16 September 2016.

• 1 January 1987: takeover of the 4.5-hectare Vieux Saint-Sorlin estate
• 1997: creation of Merlin SARL and purchase of the Touziers winery in La Roche-Vineuse
• 20 July 2004: a hailstorm destroyed 80 percent of the vineyard in 20 minutes
• 19 July 2006: purchase of 1.7 hectares of Moulin-à-Vent; 2009: new cellar built

The domaine's site presents Olivier and Corinne Merlin as joined by their sons, Paul and Théo. Both sons hold a BTS in viticulture and oenology from the Davayé high school. Théo added three years of study at Changins in Switzerland and obtained his engineering degree in 2016. The brothers went to Australia together for the harvest in the spring of 2017. On 11 November 2017 Théo and Paul took over 8 hectares of leased vineyards; the terroirs entrusted to them extend over 8 hectares in the communes of Davayé, Vergisson, Fuissé and Chaintré. A permanent team, each member specialised in vine growing, winemaking, marketing or administration, works alongside the family. Six seasonal workers join in spring, and 40 people work the two-week harvest.

• Olivier Merlin: first contact with the vines at a Mâconnais harvest in 1977; two vintages in Napa before taking over in 1987
• Paul and Théo Merlin: BTS in viticulture and oenology from the Davayé high school
• Théo Merlin: three years at Changins, engineering degree in 2016
• Team: permanent staff, six seasonal workers in spring, 40 people for a two-week harvest

The Merlin domaine farms 22 hectares: 18.5 hectares of Chardonnay, 1.75 of Pinot Noir and 1.75 of Gamay. The vineyard stretches over about 20 kilometres from La Roche-Vineuse to Chénas, and in 2023 the domaine worked 54 parcels, giving 15 different cuvées. In 2023 those appellations were Bourgogne Blanc, Mâcon La Roche Vineuse, Saint-Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé for Chardonnay, Bourgogne Rouge for Pinot Noir and Moulin-à-Vent for Gamay. Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Les Cras has been vinified as a single-parcel cuvée since the first vintage in 1987. Saint-Véran Le Grand Bussière comes from a vineyard in Prissé, facing south-east at 220 metres, vinified as a single-parcel cuvée. The Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes comes from east-facing vines at 280 metres and is aged 12 months in barrel, then 6 months in stainless steel. Among the plots Théo and Paul took on lease at the end of 2017 are En Crèche in Davayé, planted with Chardonnay in 1963, and the 1.2-hectare La Côte Rotie, also in Davayé.

• 22 hectares: Chardonnay 18.5, Pinot Noir 1.75, Gamay 1.75
• About 20 kilometres from La Roche-Vineuse to Chénas; 54 parcels and 15 cuvées in 2023
• Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Les Cras: single-parcel cuvée since the first vintage in 1987
• Leased at the end of 2017: En Crèche and La Côte Rotie (1.2 hectares), both in Davayé

On 3 September 2020 the INAO national committee approved 22 Pouilly-Fuissé climats with the mention premier cru, covering 194 hectares, or 24 percent of the appellation's area, across Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson. Before then, no communal appellation of the Mâconnais had premier cru climats. Sur La Roche, on the Roche de Vergisson, was taken on lease by Théo and Paul Merlin at the start of 2019 and classified premier cru in 2020; its 70-year-old Chardonnay vines face south-east at about 380 metres, and a new planting was made beside them in 2021. Clos de France is a 23-are vineyard next to the church in Vergisson, leased at the end of 2017; its climat, En France, was classified premier cru in 2020. Its vines were planted in 1965 and 1985 on shallow hard limestone, and 2018 was the first vintage the Merlin team farmed there. Au Vignerais, 34 ares in Solutré on the southern slope of the Roche de Solutré at 300 metres, was leased at the end of 2017 and classified premier cru in 2020. Les Chevrières, a 65-are parcel in Chaintré overlooking the Saône valley, has been premier cru since 2020; its 50-year-old vines face south-east, and the wine is aged on fine lees for 18 months.

• 22 Pouilly-Fuissé premier cru climats approved on 3 September 2020: 194 hectares, 24 percent of the appellation
• Sur La Roche (Vergisson): leased at the start of 2019, 70-year-old vines at about 380 metres
• Clos de France (climat En France, Vergisson): 23 ares, vines planted in 1965 and 1985
• Au Vignerais (Solutré): 34 ares at 300 metres; Les Chevrières (Chaintré): 65 ares, 50-year-old vines

In 2003 Olivier Merlin set up a contract to buy the grapes from the Clos des Quarts in Chaintré, and the Pouilly-Fuissé Clos des Quarts cuvée was born. In 2011, learning that the property was for sale, he proposed to Dominique Lafon that they acquire it jointly. They became owners in 2012, signing their first vintage together. The two joined forces in equal shares, on a personal basis and independently of their existing structures, to create a new company named Château des Quarts, of which they are the two managing directors. The Clos des Quarts, surrounded by a high stone wall that makes it a monopole, covers 2 hectares and 65 ares, and its oldest vines were planted in 1917. Château des Quarts' Pouilly-Fuissé Aux Quarts Premier Cru Clos des Quarts Monopole comes from a 2.23-hectare plot at Les Quarts surrounded by a high stone wall, with vines planted in 1917 and 1963. Pouilly-Fuissé Premier Cru L'Orangerie du Château des Quarts comes from two plots totalling 0.4845 hectares on a plateau close to the château's orangery, planted in 2015. The Aux Quarts Chardonnay is vinified by Olivier and Dominique at the Merlin winery in La Roche-Vineuse.

• 2003: Olivier Merlin contracts to buy the Clos des Quarts grapes
• 2012: Olivier Merlin and Dominique Lafon become owners of Château des Quarts, in equal shares
• Clos des Quarts: 2 hectares and 65 ares, a walled monopole, oldest vines planted in 1917
• Wines: Aux Quarts Premier Cru Clos des Quarts Monopole (2.23 ha) and L'Orangerie Premier Cru (0.4845 ha)

The Merlins also farm in the Beaujolais. On 19 July 2006 the domaine bought 1.7 hectares of Moulin-à-Vent. The Moulin-à-Vent cuvée comes from four old-vine lieux-dits within the appellation, Les Brasses, Les Hantes, Les Vérillats and La Roche, bought in 2006; a planting was made at Les Brasses in 2021. Also in 2006, the Merlins became owners of La Rochelle, a 95-are parcel of old Gamay vines in the commune of Chénas, 30 kilometres from La Roche-Vineuse. Of that plot, 85 percent was planted in 1937 and the rest in 1962. It is planted at 13,000 vines per hectare, pruned in gobelet and trained on stakes, ploughed entirely by horse and harvested by hand. Because production is limited, each bottle of La Rochelle is numbered.

• 19 July 2006: purchase of 1.7 hectares of Moulin-à-Vent
• Moulin-à-Vent cuvée: Les Brasses, Les Hantes, Les Vérillats and La Roche
• La Rochelle: 95 ares in Chénas, planted in 1937 and 1962, 13,000 vines per hectare
• La Rochelle is ploughed entirely by horse, and each bottle is numbered

Between 5 and 10 percent of the Merlin land is left uncultivated, and after vines are pulled up the soil rests for 4 to 5 years. New plantings are propagated from the domaine's best old vines. For more than 30 years the most accessible plots have been ploughed by tractor and the less accessible ones, such as Moulin-à-Vent and plots in Vergisson, by horse. Harvesting is by hand, in crates, following the ripeness of each plot, and the soil receives manure and compost. Au Vignerais is ploughed in full with no weedkiller under uncertified organic practice, and Les Chevrières is also farmed under uncertified organic practice. For the whites, three pneumatic presses press whole bunches; juice from the youngest vines ferments and matures in stainless steel, while juice from the oldest vines goes quickly into barrel, where maturing lasts 10 to 18 months. For the reds, the Gamay for Moulin-à-Vent is macerated as whole grapes and the Pinot Noir is partly destemmed. The wines are bottled at the domaine throughout the year.

• 5 to 10 percent of the land left fallow; soil rested 4 to 5 years after vines are pulled up
• Horse ploughing for less accessible plots such as Moulin-à-Vent and Vergisson; tractor elsewhere
• Whites: whole-bunch pressing; youngest-vine juice in stainless steel, oldest-vine juice in barrel for 10 to 18 months
• Reds: whole-grape maceration for the Moulin-à-Vent Gamay; Pinot Noir partly destemmed

In its own words, the domaine qualifies the Merlin wines with four words: 'Balance, purity, depth, harmony.' Its stated philosophy is to 'consider each vine as a living being, an individual'. The Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes comes from a selection of the oldest vines in La Roche-Vineuse, averaging 70 years of age; it is fermented in oak barrels and aged for a year in barrel, then 4 months in stainless steel. The domaine calls Moulin-à-Vent La Rochelle the flagship of its red wines.

• Domaine's four words for its wines: 'Balance, purity, depth, harmony'
• Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes: oldest vines in La Roche-Vineuse, averaging 70 years
• Moulin-à-Vent La Rochelle: called by the domaine the flagship of its red wines

Primary sources: the producer's site, https://merlin-vins.com/en/, https://merlin-vins.com/en/portrait-de-corinne-et-olivier-merlin/, https://merlin-vins.com/en/portraits-de-paul-et-theo/, https://merlin-vins.com/en/equipe-du-domaine-merlin/, https://merlin-vins.com/en/notre-travail-a-la-vigne/, https://merlin-vins.com/en/notre-travail-a-la-cave/, https://merlin-vins.com/fr/notre-travail-a-la-cave/, https://merlin-vins.com/fr/notre-vignoble/, https://merlin-vins.com/fr/cuvees/ and https://merlin-vins.com/en/cuvees/; and the Château des Quarts site, https://chateau-des-quarts.com/en/. Official source: INAO, press release on the Pouilly-Fuissé premier crus, https://www.inao.gouv.fr/en/premier-cru-label-pouilly-fuisse-pdo-cp. Last verified 2026-10-21.