Domaine Olivier Merlin is the leading independent producer in the Maconnais, based in the village of La Roche-Vineuse and farming a total of around eighteen hectares across Pouilly-Fuisse, Macon, Saint-Veran and Moulin-a-Vent. Olivier Merlin studied oenology in Beaune, worked a stint in California's Napa Valley, and took over a dilapidated estate in 1987, transforming it into one of southern Burgundy's most respected addresses. No synthetic pesticides or fertilisers are used across the estate.

Les Chevrieres was elevated to Premier Cru status when Pouilly-Fuisse introduced its appellation classification in 2020, recognising its consistently outstanding performance over decades. Merlin's parcel of 0.65 hectares in Les Chevrieres is planted with 75-year-old vines on limestone and clay soils that contain a distinctive vein of iron oxide running through the subsoil. The wine is barrel-fermented with ten percent new oak and aged eighteen months before bottling. The 2023 vintage at Pouilly-Fuisse was marked by a hot growing season tempered by well-timed rain, producing wines of good natural balance.

Pouilly-Fuisse Premier Cru has generated significant market excitement since the classification was formalised, with the best lieux-dits now attracting serious collector interest and prices to match. Les Chevrieres is among the most consistently praised premiers crus in the appellation, and Merlin's old-vine parcel is considered one of the finest individual holdings within the site. Neal Martin at Vinous awarded 94 points to the 2020 vintage of this wine.

Best from 2026 to 2038. Pair with lobster bisque, grilled turbot, aged Comte or poultry with morel sauce. Serve at 11 to 13 degrees Celsius in a white Burgundy glass.

Bright gold with green highlights. A complex nose of apple, peach, hazelnut, chalk and iron-mineral notes with a fine floral lift from the old vines. The palate is medium-full bodied with excellent concentration and a creamy texture, underpinned by vibrant acidity that carries through a long, saline and mineral finish. A wine of real Premier Cru authority.