Winemaker Notes
Deep bouquet combining scents of red and black fruits (cherry, blackcurrant, fig), notes of flowers (violet, rose, peony) and delicate woody and spicy touches which will evolve over time into more animal and undergrowth notes. Full and round mouth, supported by very ripe tannins. A powerful but elegant wine, almost feminine, due to its proximity to Volnay.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Ripe and lushly textured, this red features succulent cherry, raspberry, floral, spice and mineral aromas and flavors. Offers understated power, a silky texture and a terrific aftertaste that echoes the fruit and spice notes.
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James Suckling
Dark and earthy on the nose, with notes of black cherries, cloves and dried flowers. Firm and spicy on the palate, with a medium to full body and gently chewy tannins. Sturdy but not heavy. From organically grown grapes in a 3.7-hectare clos.
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Jasper Morris
Glowing ruby crimson. An immediately delicious bouquet with some depth, ripe cherry and raspberry, very good. Enough structure to prove its Pommard origins but just the right amount of high class fruit alongside with fine acidity.
Barrel Sample: 89-91 -
Wine Enthusiast
Juicy strawberry, raspberry and rhubarb mingle with wilting rose on the nose of this wine. The palate reveals fine, drying tannins that impart a bitter black-tea note, supporting its ripe red fruits. Savory mushroom and black peppercorn add depth to this focused plate.
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.