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POMMARD

2017 1er Cru Croix Noires Domaine de Courcel

EN PRIMEUR
Pinot NoirRedFrance,BurgundyCôte d'OrCôte de BeaunePommard1er Cru 13.5%Croix Noires

Nose is softer and more generous here. The palate is rich, but on the dark, more sinewy end of things. Earthy notes too with the mulberry and restrained damson juice. This is more generous and more supple than the Vaumariens at this stage.With that grip relenting somewhat - and this has good power too. Drinking range: 2023 - 2030L&S (Nov 2018)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

This is slightly riper aromatically with its mélange of cassis, dark berry liqueur and pungent earth scents. As is usually the case this is both bigger and richer with evident muscle on the middle weight plus flavors that possess slightly better depth on the equally long if slightly austere and notably more structured finish. This is very Pommard in character and will need at least 15 years to reveal its full potential. Drinking range: 2032 - Rating: 89-92 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2019)

Blueish crimson. Big and bold. Not my style. A bit too in-your-face. And pinched on the end. But there's certainly lots there. Drinking range: 2023 - 2030 Rating: 16 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Jan 2019)

This is a premier cru. Courcel have 0.6 of the 1.2 hectares. More brown clay - so stronger tannins here. More like the Epenots soil. Less stones though. Deep aroma - black fruits, ripe black plums and prunes. rich and deep, full palate. There is some muscle Quite burly tannins, but they give a herbal freshness to the end of the palate. Quite a butch wine. Ripe & earthy with a good bitter note. Rating: 18 Sarah Marsh MW, The Burgundy Briefing (Dec 2018)

Using 15% new wood and 100% stems, this is more immediately appealing than some of Yves Confuron's other wines, but everything is relative. Deep, concentrated and ripe, it has fig and dark berry fruit, sinewy tannins and the power and concentration to age. Drinking range: 2023 - 2030 Rating: 93 Tim Atkin MW - Decanter (Nov 2018)

One of the great domaines of Pommard, with a 400 year history in the same family. The domaine produces a small amount of Bourgogne Chardonnay, a completely over-performing Bourgogne Rouge, a village Pommard (Vaumuriens, 1.44 ha), but the biggest part of the domaine consists of four great Premier Cru expressions of the terroir of Pommard, Fremiers (0.79 ha), Croix Noires (0.58 ha), Grand Clos des Epenots (4.89 ha) and Rugiens (1.07 ha). These represent a very different style to the Clos des Épeneaux of Comte Armand, for example. Yves Confuron, the régisseur, describes the difference between the two top wines by saying that the Grand Clos is 'terreux' while the Rugiens is 'aérien'.

The aim is to limit yields to around 25hl/ha, to attain optimum ripeness. The vines are ploughed, and pruned carefully to suit each one, then de-budded in spring and green-harvested in August to keep the fruit load balanced. Following Yves' usual practice the harvest is late and the vatting is long - usually around a month, with a cold maceration leading into a cool fermentation, and a long post-fermentation soak under the protection of the carbon dioxide given off by the fermentation. The wines are developed in barrel over 21 to 23 months, with a third of the barrels being replaced each year. After racking they are bottled without fining or filtration.

The domaine produces wines with astonishing depth and density that still retain the freshness, just like Yves' own wines at Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot. They are classic vins de garde and patience is advised - and will be amply rewarded.

Available In Bond:
We also have other vintages of de Courcel wines available to buy In Bond from our Fine wine list.

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