Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Pommard 1er Cru Les Grand Epenots (Maison Louis Jadot) was showing very well indeed, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, wild berries, exotic spices and sapid bass notes of coffee roast and grilled game. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and succulent, its broad-shouldered but fine-grained chassis of tannin nicely cloaked in generous fruit, its finish pure and long.
Range:91-93 -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Pommard Epenots is one of Burgundy's top premier crus, and the 2017 Louis Jadot shows superbly. TASTING NOTES: This wine is rich, thick, and generous. Its aromas and flavors of black fruit and its long finish should pair it well with grilled lamb chops with a dap of super ripe Epoisses. (Tasted: January 22, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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.