Tasted in Poinchy with Denis Pommier, 12 January 2021.

Domaine Isabelle & Denis Pommier
31 Rue de Poinchy
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 83 04
www.denis-pommier.com

Here is a domaine that was created with just 2 hectares of land in 1990 – land that was in the hands of the family – but it needed planting. Today the domaine covers 23 hectares. After planting in 1991 their first cuvée came in 1994 – and it won medals! Today, only a little more than 60% of the domaine’s production ends up in French hands – the rest can be found all over the world. in 2014, for the first time, many of the domaine’s wines became certified organic – AB – further parcels joined with the same labelling in 2015.

Denis on the 2019 vintage:
“In 2019 we started the harvest still in September, not like in 2020! It was a very sunny vintage, some drying of the grapes on the vines – like plenty of vignerons – we estimate nearly 30% less wine in those parcels because of that – we still produced nearly 45 hl/ha in total. In the end, an easy vintage in the vines which brought good acidity and a lovely balance in the wines – No high degrees – max 13-13.2° here. The wines are a lovely surprise.”

The wines…

My first visit here and some great wines to be found – great reds too!

Use DIAM here, except the pinot which is cork:

2019 Pinot Beurot
Bought grapes but harvested by this domaine – vines in Joigny – ‘We’ve made this since 2017 as that year we had such a reduced volume due to frost. Vinfied in tank but elevage in barrel.’
Here’s a nice weight, almost a richness of aroma but balanced with fine citrus. Supple, richly textured but there’s energy here too – wide, complex and long finishing. I’d be interested to see how this concentration opens in a few years. Very tasty indeed.

2019 Petit Chablis
From the commune of Villy in the main.
Here is a zesty nose of citrus bitters. A richness here too – but more overtly mouth-watering. The finish narrows into a mineral line – direct here but nicely and not a bit austere – very tasty wine again.

2019 Chablis
About half is Portlandian, vinified in tank just like the PC
A broad nose, some density to this aroma. More energy, plenty of mouth-filling flavour. A little touch of tannin/phenolic. A wine that gets tastier and tastier as you head to the finish. The nose needs to open and the initial flavour too – but the rest of the wine is very fine.

2019 Chablis Les Reinettes
30 yo vines on Kimmerigian
That’s a much finer nose – open, accessible, fine citrus – lovely! Directly more freshness and energy. A floral component too over the fresh mineral flavour. That’s excellent Chablis.

2019 Chablis 1er Côte de Lechets
20% barrel elevage – but I don’t note it…
Here’s more width of still exciting aroma – the depth is less overt perhaps as there’s no reduction. Some gas again, an extra depth to this concentration too – a small richness of texture – becoming more overt without the gas. A very tasty, indeed delicious agrume-fruit finish. Yum.

2019 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
That’s a lovely and vibrant nose – wide, rather than deep – and growing some floral aspects. Lots of energy, depth of flavour – becoming more intense – like the nose a flavour-profile that’s more about width. But a lovey vibrancy of persistent finishing flavour.

Did someone say pinot?