Winemaker Notes
A vigorous, masculine wine typical of Pommard, Les Rugiens has distinct earthy notes and a powerful structure. It should be cellared for 5 years before opening and will develop favorably in the bottle for 20 to 25 years.Serve with well-spiced meats, game and strong cheeses such as Epoisses, Livarot and Pont L’Eveque.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Shows vivid aromas of strawberries and flowers that follow through to a medium to full body with a tight and polished-tannin texture and a long, flavorful finish. This is the last year for this wine for a while, as the vineyard is being replanted. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens (Domaine Louis Jadot) offers up aromas of sweet cherries, espresso roast and rich soil tones. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and succulent, with moderate concentration and chalky structuring tannins.
Barrel Sample: 89-91
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.