Dugat-Py Pommard La Levriere Vieilles Vignes 2018
- Decanter
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Jasper
Morris -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
The appellation of Pommard lies between Volnay to the south and Beaune to the north. At an elevation of 787 feet this vineyard is on flat land east of the river and abuts highway RN 74. La Levrière is offered as a lieu-dit only by Dugat-Py.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
A rare excursion outside Dugat-Py's home territory of the Côte de Nuits, this is an impressive village red from a 70-year-old parcel on clay soils near the route nationale. Plush, broad and comparatively expansive for a Pommard, it has scented 50% new wood, flavours of plum and liquorice and some supporting tannic grip.
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Jasper Morris
Getting on for 80 year old vines, in one block. Rich glowing purple with a beautifully succulent nose. This has been perfectly judged (picking date) soft and ripe yet with good energy behind. Deep red fruit, raspberry but perhaps more strawberry, covers up the tannins. The structural elements are certainly present but perfectly balanced.
Barrel Sample: 90-93 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Pommard La Levrière is showing very nicely from bottle, offering up complex aromas of raspberries and cherries complemented by hints of loamy soil, licorice, dried flowers and espresso roast. Medium to full-bodied, layered and elegantly muscular, it's as refined as it was in barrel, built around powdery tannins and lively acids.
Other Vintages
2019-
Robert
Parker
The celebrated estate of Dugat-Py, located at the base of the Combe de Lavaux in Gevrey-Chambertin, has been producing world-class wines for decades. While the exterior of the house impresses with its mid-16th century architecture, it is the aging cellar that is truly spectacular. The cellar, or L'Aumônerie, is essentially a small abbey that was built by the Diocese of Dijon in the 11th century — making it the oldest cellar in Burgundy today.
In 1975, Bernard Dugat purchased vines in Gevrey and produced his first wines. The creation of the two separate family estates came about in 1994: Domaine Claude Dugat and Domaine Dugat-Py. Py is the maiden name of Bernard's wife, Jocelyne. In 1996, their son, Loïc, joined the family business. He is now at the helm of the Domaine and started their conversion to organic viticulture in 1999, gaining full accreditation in 2003.
Today the family owns 23.5 acres of Pinot Noir and 2.5 acres of Chardonnay, including the original vineyards located in Gevrey. Loïc is passionate about old vines, always searching for old parcels of Pinot Fin or Chardonnay. This dedication has resulted in the domaine now owning vines aged from 65 to more than 100 years old in both Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Consequently, nearly every wine in the line-up is designated either as Vieilles Vignes or Très Vieilles Vignes. They tend to these mature vineyards with meticulous care, using homemade biodynamic teas throughout (they are certified biodynamic). The 1er Cru and Grand Cru sites are horse-plowed. The vines are never trimmed, allowing the canopies to reach a height of seven or eight feet in the summer months.
The family has always produced classic Vins de Garde: deep in color, with explosive fruit and chiseled tannins. However, since Loïc has taken over, there has been a clear evolution, in the vineyards and in the winery. Loïc does not chaptalize, acidify, inoculate, or add anything to juice, and sulfur is only added prior to bottling. And while the wines are still deep and powerful, they have more balance and finesse than ever. Also never elevated, the alcohol rarely surpasses 13.5%, and harvest now occurs on the earlier side to retain freshness and elegance.
You will love re-discovering the wines of Domaine Dugat Py.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Representing some of the darkest, deepest and sturdiest Pinot Noir of Burgundy, Pommard is one of the two villages in Côte de Beaune—along with Volnay—that is recognized for its impressive Pinot Noir. While it can’t boast any Grands Crus vineyards, its extraordinary Premiers Crus vineyards are aplenty.
Les Pézerolles, Les Épenots, Clos des Épeneaux, Les Chanlins, Les Jarolières, Les Fremiers and particularly Les Rugiens are among the most outstanding Premiers Crus.
The best Pommards will be concentrated in flavors such as black cherry, blackberry and dark chocolate, have dazzling aromas of violets, menthol or wild herbs and a firm and powerful finish. They typically demand some time in the bottle to reach their peak.