Pommard 2017
The little village of Pommard is jealously guarded by its vineyards, on the flanks of the slope.
The fame of the nectar produced here goes back centuries: for indeed, as long ago as the Middle Ages,
the wines of Pommard were being shipped to the Popes of Avignon…
Origin
Between Beaune and Volnay are the vast vineyards of Pommard, extending out on either side of a monumental coomb. This gives rise to two types of wine: from vines grown on the hill on the Beaune side, and from those originating in the slopes and ‘plunging’ down towards Volnay.
This wine is a blend of two opposite plots: 50 % « En brescul », Beaune side and 50% « la Combotte » Volnay side. - « En Brescul » is located up the hill and very steep slope. This funny name, diminutive of "Straighten-ass" refers to the heavily leaned position of the vine growers working in these steep plots.
« la Combotte » : Located below the "Vaumuriens" at the bottom of the hill, this climate presents a hollow relief . The name refers to the combe.
Viticulture
Grape variety: pinot noir
Soils: "En Brescul" is a steeply sloping plot with mostly calcareous soil. "La Combotte" is in the middle of the hillside on fairly clayey soils.
Orientation: East
Surface area under vine: 0.8603 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 41 hL/ha
Average age of the vines: 40 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 9 September 2017.
The grapes were handpicked. They were sorted a first time in the vineyard and again on the sorting table when they arrived at the winery.
At the winery: the grapes were completely destemmed but not crushed (they were left whole) and were gravity-fed into tanks. Total maceration of 27 days including 6 days cold (12 C). Fermentation used indigenous yeasts only (no additives such as enzymes or tannins were used). 7 punchings of the cap.
Ageing
Maturation: aged on the lees for 12 months with no racking using a proportion of 35% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a very delicate touch of oak to the wine.
Bottling
Bottling: The wine was not fined but was very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity in September 2018.
Number of bottles: 4,446.
Vintage
2017 – Finesse
The growing cycle was thrown off-kilter by a very cold winter, late spring frost, then optimal conditions for rapid flowering, sporadic hail, and summer drought. Harvesting began in early September in the sun, and after several lean years, the vines finally produced abundant grapes, although with significant differences in maturity between whites and reds and from one region to another, which called for strict sorting.
Ageing potential: from 7 to 10 years.
Tasting notes
The color is shiny garnet. The pure nose exudes black fruit and cherry aromas, enhanced with some smoky notes. On the palate, this voluptuous wine reveals sweet tannins and a nice length.
