VARIETAL
Pommard and Pommard Premiers Crus are only made from Pinot Noir grapes.
- 10,000 plants/hectare.
- Pruning: Cordon de Royat, Guyot.
- Harvested by hand.
- Yield: 40 hl/hectare.
TASTING NOTES
- Intense dark ruby colour.
- The bouquet shows aromas of a certain virility, on a fruity, woody and animal framework of great complexity.
- In the mouth, the structure is solid, the tannins still present. The chewiness is remarkable, the flavours are all at once fruity, animal, spicy and liquorice. Quite powerful, this is a racy wine with a strong character.
FOOD AND WINE PAIRING
Drink with fine roasted or oven-grilled meats, prime rib, rump steak with pepper, marinated game or poultry in sauce, not forgetting creamy Burgundy cheeses but not too strong.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve at 16-18°C (60-64°F).
AGEING POTENTIAL
This premier cru can be kept in the cellar for 8 to 10 years.
ORIGIN
The vineyard of Pommard is located on the Côte de Beaune, in Burgundy, between the village of Volnay to the south and the town of Beaune to the north. The Pommard appellation only produces red wines, all exclusively from Pinot Noir.
The surface area of the vineyard covers approximately 300 hectares, 125 hectares of which are Premiers Crus. The climat " Les Poutures ", whose name comes from "pâtures", covers 4 ha 12 a 74 ca on the lower part of the vineyard, in the middle of the hillside.
The soils are composed of ancient alluvial deposits, clay and limestone, well drained thanks to a pebble of rocky debris. Iron oxide in the form of veins sometimes reddens the earth.
- Exposure to the east and south.
- Altitude: between 250 and 330 metres.
VINIFICATION AND MATURING
Traditional Burgundian vinification. Hand-picked, the grapes are first sorted in the vineyard and then in the cellars as soon as they arrive. After this severe sorting, they are destemmed and crushed, then put into thermo-regulated vats. Vatting lasts 22 to 25 days.
The vinification begins with a cold maceration (8°-10°C) for 5 to 6 days, then the fermentation is carried out with the introduction of Burgundy yeasts, with daily pumping over and punching down. The wine is then aged in 228 litre barrels, of which 35% are new, for 12 to 15 months.
Vintage : 2019
2019 was a unique and very changeable year. It brought its own stresses for a great many producers, while harvesting passed without a hitch. The end result has inspired enthusiasm amongst winemakers, surpassing expectations. The weather was hot and dry, but the wines are promising a freshness that will delight fans of Bourgogne wines, with an indulgent side to boot. The only downside to this one is below-average volumes.
Winter was mild with temperatures higher than average in December, and again in February, when it was 2.2°C warmer than the norm. Rain was variable with a very wet December and much less precipitation in February. As such, the growth cycle started much earlier, with budburst slightly ahead of average in some areas.
Clement temperatures in March allowed the vines to spring back to life. More advanced plots reached the mid-budburst stage in the first days of April. But cold weather then arrived and frost on the morning of 5 April in particular left its mark that was more or less pronounced from sector to sector, depending on how low the temperature fell and which stage the vines had reached. This had an impact on yields, particularly in the Mâconnais. Temperatures remained low and the frost returned on 12 and 15 April, but the damage was much less significant. The vines didn’t return to growth until mid-April, when temperatures rose once again and the mid-budburst stage was reached in later plots.
Heat and a lack of rain were then the norm. In the majority of cases, the vines were in excellent health right through to harvest. Any occasional local issues with powdery mildew were quickly dealt with. The little rain that fell in August helped the vines develop and triggered véraison. It varied a great deal across the region, resulting in significant differences in terms of the development of the vines from one plot to another, and sometimes even within the same plot. This continued through to the harvest.
Overall, the vines stood up to this lack of rainfall pretty well, and showed good vigor through to picking. However, some places did suffer towards the end of the season, especially where the plants were younger, with the grapes suffering some scorching. The fine weather continued through the end of August and into September, and ripening happened at a good pace. Concentration was an issue in a few spots in September, but millerandage ensured the grapes retained their acidity through to the end.
Harvesting for the grapes used to make Crémant de Bourgogne began on 30 August, while that for grapes for still wines began a week later, and picking continued through to mid-October. This unusually long harvest was possible thanks to the excellent health of the grapes along with good weather. Given the differences in ripening from plot to plot, winegrowers were able to adapt to the pace the grapes matured. Location was not an issue - analysis of the maturity of the grapes and regular sampling of the berries were all that counted.