Domaine de Courcel : Pommard 1er cru "Grand Clos des Epenots" 2015

Domaine de Courcel is spread over 22 acres of vineyards in the Pommard commune of the Cote d'Or in Burgundy. Theis estate has belonged to the Courcel family for over 4 centuries and is today owned by Gilles de Courcel, with Anne Bommelaer and Marie de Courcel managing the estate and Yves Confuron leading the winemaking. The property includes some of the most prestigious vineyards of Pommard, including the Premier Cru parcels of Les Rugiens, Le Grand Clos des Epenots, Les Fremiers and Les Croix Noires, along with the Pommard Villages parcel Les Vaumuriens. The Pommard 1er cru "Grand Clos des Epenots" 2015 by Domaine de Courcel is a single-varietal Pinot Noir made from a 12-acre Premier Cru parcel called Le Grand Clos des Epenots, situated on the northern side of the Pommard commune. This monopole cru is characterized by soils of clay and limestone, with pebbles resulting from the erosion of limestone bedrock. The vines are around 60 years old on average. Domaine de Courcel practices traditional viticultural techniques. The soil is ploughed to encourage biological activity and the vines are pruned in a way that allows the grapes to mature in the optimal manner. The team carries out debudding and green pruning in order to reduce the yield of the vines. A manual selection is carried out in the vineyard, after which the grapes undergo a secondary selection on a conveyer belt in the winery. Following a 10-day cold maceration, the fruit enters fermentation at a controlled temperature. Regular "pigeage" (punch downs) and occasional pumpovers are carried out to extract the maximum amount of color and tannins. The wines age in oak casks, of which only 10% is new for an extended period of time, between 18 and 24 months. The wine is bottled without fining or filtering.

The Pommard 1er cru "Grand Clos des Epenots" 2015 of Domaine de Courcel reveals a deep ruby-red color in the glass. On the nose, this wine is ripe and complex, with dark fruit aromas (plum, cassis, blackberries) combining with spices (clove), dark chocolate and an earthy minerality to form a truly seductive bouquet. On the palate, this Burgundy Premier Cru is very concentrated, with a saline touch adding a light touch and ample fruit melting onto very fine-grained tannins. An intense Pommard that will pair beautifully with a wide range of dishes and age for 20-50 years in the bottle.