Faiveley Mercurey Blanc and an under-appreciated Roumier

The simplified label of Faiveley Mercurey

28 Dec 2011: Dinner at Spring Moon Restaurant at the Peninsula Hotel, HK - there was an urgent need to use up a soon-to-expire cash voucher!  We had brought a half bottle of 2005 Roumier Morey Saint Denis Clos de La Bussière with us.  So we ordered a half bottle of 2008 Mercurey Blanc by Domaine Faiveley on the wine list.  The wine list described the wine as Mercurey Blanc Domaine de La Croix Jacquelet, Domaine Faiveley but when the bottle arrived, it just says "Mercurey". There followed a long deliberation between Richard and the restaurant sommelier about the wine.  After enquiring at the domaine, I was told that before the 2008 vintage, the domaine had used the name "Domaine de La Croix Jacquelet" which was a lieu-dit next to where the wine was vinified.  From the 2008 vintage, this lieu-dit name was dropped from the label, leaving it just "Mercurey" - it's effectively the same wine!  Perhaps the restaurant would like to update the wine list to avoid further confusion!

Mercurey is a commune from the Côte Chalonnaise.  Better known for its reds, but there is also a decent quantity of white being produced.  The whites tend to have spicy, nutty and floral character, with a hint of flint.  The 2008 from Faiveley definitely showed some flinty and grassy character, with some stylistic similarity to a Sauvignon Blanc, but it remains a simple wine, better as aperitif than served with food!  Amongst all the white wine from the Côte Chalonnaise, my favourite is perhaps the Rully for floral, minerality and flinty character, wihth lemony and peach notes.  while Montagny is great for pairing with food with creamy sauce - I love that honeyed and nutty character and fat mouthfeel, which in the right hands should be balanced by some refreshing minerality and acidity!

The half bottle of 2005 Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière was simply not ready, but we waited ever so patiently for it to open up in the glass!  By the end of the dinner, it showed a lovely red fruit and mineral-laced nose, with some nuances of earth and tea leaves. Palate packed with ripe fruit and an integrated structure of ripe tannin and fine acidity.  Gorgeous finish.  A very classy wine offering qualities of a top premier cru, still retaining a touch of its typical rustic charm.  If I may quote Allen Meadows: ".....And in terms of value, I have noticed a real improvement in the Clos de la Bussière over the last few vintages and if there is a value play in the Roumier portfolio other than the Les Cras, the Bussière is it."  Try this 2005 again in 3 - 4 years time, and I am sure it will deliver some very gratifying results!  16.5+/20

Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière (around 2.59 ha) is a monopoly of the Domaine Georges Roumier.  It was once upon a time donated to the Abbaye de la Bussière.  Today, a boutique hotel takes the place of the once holy buildings.  Red clay soils dominate here, lending a rustic style to the wine.  This premier cru is literally next door to Chambolle Musigny (below the level of Les Sentiers). 

Service at dinner was excellent, but we were both a little disappointed by the food - we came to the conclusion that we didn't know which dishes to order.  The deep-fried garoupa in soya sauce and scallion was a little on the soggy side.  The crab claw in egg white was ok, but at this price, did not quite compare with same dish at Tim's Kitchen or Man Wah. The Szechuan prawns in chilli sauce were rather indifferent, after having been warned about the degree of spiciness. I had to pile on extra chilli sauce to remind myself that it was meant to be a spicy dish. The version at the China Club was much better.  The only dish which was quite tasty was the Wuxi style spare ribs, which came piping hot, served in a claypot, with plenty of sauce.  The sauce was tasty, but the texture was quite thin.  A similar dish at Lung King Heen, at the Four Seasons, which came individually served in mini pots, seemed to me the superior version, with a slightly thicker sauce.  Finally, we should have gone for stir fried green vegetable rather than the rather bland stir fried mixed vegetable in a bird's nest!  Not the most appetising looking dish!

We kept admiring our next door neighbour's dishes - they seemed to know what to order.....and brought their own magnum bottle of Clos des Papes.  Next time, I think we will just take a quick look around us and say to our waiter, "We'll have exactly the same dishes as the other table!"