The vineyards of Pommard, which border Volnay,  produce similar wines to their neighbors – fragrant, delicate and with finesse. A soil change at the commune boundary actually means we get wines which are darker, heavier and more tannic than those from Volnay. There are, of course, some which can be a little graceless or rough. But there are also 28 fantastic Premier Crus to be discovered here, such as Pezerolles, En Largilliers, Epenots and Rugiens – whose name is a nod to the ‘ruddy’ iron-rich soils here. The thing to remember in this part of the world is that the focus is really on making great bottles, rather than great wines – and that the grower matters just as much as the vineyard.

Across the 212 hectares of Pommard (of which 125 are Premier Cru, and some are being considered for promotion to Grand Cru), another surprise we find is that the best vineyards are not necessarily located on slopes. Many are in fact found on the flatter land to the north of the eponymous village – the appellation being split by a combe, with the village situated in the valley’s mouth.

Read more about Pommard

One bottle of each RED:

Potinet-Ampeau Pommard 1er Cru 'Les Pezerolles' 2012
The Pommard 1er Cru 'Les Pezerolles' vineyard sits on the Beaune side of Pommard facing east, just above the walled in vineyards of 'Les Epenots'. The soil make up has enough clay in it to give a consistently powerful wine, year in, year out. 'Pezerolles' is considered one of the great Pommards; rich, round, gutsy, with deep color, intense fruit and good tannis. It is particularly apt for aging in the Potinet-Ampeau style. 

Domaine Albert Boillot Pommard 1er Cru 'En Largilliere' 2022
Situated above the ‘Grands Epenots’, ‘En Largilliers’ is a relatively unknown premier cru. It sits between ‘Charmots’ and Pezerolles’, and just below ‘Noizons’, so it has pedigree! As its name implies, it has a high content of clay, meaning that produces deep, tight, earthy wines. Here it is showing juicy, dense blackcurrant fruit, good solid acidity and the linear tightness you would expect in its youth. Rose petals and violets, black pepper and spice. This one is worth your cellar space.

Domaine Michel Rebourgeon Pommard 1er Cru ‘Les Pezerolles’ 2019
Classic Pezerolles. First off, mineral. Then ethereal charm. With layer on layer of all the tasting notes you can think of: floral, black cherry, cherry stone, licorice. Juicy and complex, suave and percussive, fine and intense. With a killer finish.

Hospices de Beaune Pommard 1er Cru 'Dames de la Charité' 2020
This is the most prestigious of the Hospices de Beaune's impressive presence in Pommard, coming from the premier cru vineyards of Les Rugiens, La Refene, Les Combes Dessus and les Petits Epenots. It's that purple color we associate with Roman emperors' cloaks. The nose is a fine mix of red fruits and blackcurrant, with dark-berry fruit on the attack and black cherry as it develops on the palate. Fine, but earthy and muscular, with a lot of depth and complexity in the long finish.

Domaine Michel Arcelain Pommard 'Noizons' 2010
Intense aromas of blackberry, black currant, cherries and licorice. A fist in a velvet glove, fine but dense; more structured than you sense at first. Warm and round and long.

Domaine Michel Rebourgeon Pommard ‘Cuvee William’ 2019
Average age of the vines is 100 years old.  One of the parcels from which this family-named cuvee is produced is ‘La Vache’, which was one of the earliest vineyard replantations in Pommard after the phylloxera epidemic. 18 months in 100% new oak on a village appellation is radical, but the wine supports it. Clear, sweet oaky notes, melted into the density of the wine. Great linear tension pulls the minerality through from attack to mid-palate to finish. A masterful wine.