Michel Gaunoux, Pommard Premier Cru, Les Grands Epenots, Burgundy

An introduction to Michel Gaunoux, Pommard Premier Cru, Les Grands Epenots, Burgundy

The Premier Cru Les Grands Epenots cuvée by Domaine Michel Gaunoux is sourced from a 1.7-hectare plot of Pinot Noir vines located in the Premier Cru designated vineyard of Les Grands Epenots, situated to the north of the village of Pommard. The vineyard is one of the most northerly in the Côte de Beaune, and a fault in the limestone bedrock beneath the climat has caused an unusually thin and free-draining topsoil. As a result, the vine roots achieve deep penetration, yielding grapes of intense phenolic character that can produce markedly muscular wines. This bottling shows plenty of this palate depth, supported by grippy tannins and a core of dark red fruits and notes of graphite.

Performance

Understanding Michel Gaunoux, Pommard Premier Cru, Les Grands Epenots, Burgundy

The old vines that comprise the Premier Cru Les Grand Epenots cuvée by Domaine Michel Gaunoux are farmed sustainably, with much of the vineyard work conducted by hand to avoid soil compaction from machinery passage. The grapes are hand-picked and entirely destemmed into large wooden fermentation vats, where fermentation and maceration occur for approximately three weeks. The subsequent wine is matured in mostly second to third fill French oak barrels (up to 20% might be new oak) between 12-14 months prior to bottling. This is a bold interpretation of Premier Cru Pommard, showing the breadth and assertion on the palate so typical of the Grand Epenots climat alongside an elegant profile of fruits and spices. Robust now, this should evolve into something much more streamlined with time in the cellar and will likely have a lifetime of at least two decades.

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