Tasted with Anne Parent in Pommard, Late June 2018.
Domaine Anne et Catherine Parent
3 rue de la Métairie
21630 Pommard
Tel: +33 3 80 22 15 08
www.domaine-parent.com
I noticed some subtle enhancements to the labels at the domaine here, small font differences and the moving some info to a back label.
Anne on the 2016 vintage:
“In 1975 my father didn’t produce a bottle of wine – it was an awful summer-time with lots of rot. Despite tons of triage he decided not to produce, selling-on what was left of the crop – 2016 is the lowest since then! In the Bourgognes and our Beaune we had 90% losses, but the Pommard and 1ers were 15-30% down. We have lost two full vintages since 2009. Fortunately 2017 was good in volume.
“So I’ve really a special affection for 2016 as everything was in place – like 2010 – only 3% triaged so almost nothing – okay it was 0.05% in 2015! 2016 has elegance and depth. We’ve been organic since 2009, biodynamic since 2010; I wouldn’t have believed it 20 years ago, but I see such a difference today.”
The wines…
There has always been power in the wines of this domaine, but power that needed time in the cellar. Today I find ever-more panache and even a certain elegance. A very good address in 2016!
2016 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Selection Pomone
“I couldn’t select old vines like in 2015, but I chose to destem and do a longer maceration on skins, mainly in larger 1-2 year old barrels. Here with deeper soils and lots of clay. I bottled plenty of magnums – all sold very quickly. The winemaking approach was more like that of a villages level wine.”
A width of faint herb aroma and some stone fruit. Supple, a grain of tannin at the base, radiates waves of finishing flavour. Good length, good Bourgogne.
2016 Ladoix
100% destemmed, 30% new French oak.
Hmm, more depth of ripe fruit on the nose, faintly spiced. More depth of texture, much more complexity and concentration, saline complexity. A growing mouth-watering, almost juicy length of flavour. The last was good, but this is a big step-up. Excellent!
2016 Pommard La Croix Blanche
Deep soil with brown clay, marls with dolomite limestone 10% whole clusters and 40% new oak. Bottled 2 weeks ago.
Hmm, deep colour. Hmm (again) an extra width of freshness to this nose. Fresh, some grainy structure, a hint of oak but plenty of dimension of flavour. Chewy finishing super wine.
2016 Beaune 1er Epenottes
10% whole clusters, 40% new oak, bottled two weeks ago.
Not super wide but a lovely hight and depth of aroma. A nice silk to the texture before a little tannin comes through. Dark finishing flavour, a little oak but only as a part of much complexity. Wait a little but this is a wine of fine structure and for keeping.
10% wc and 40% new oak bottled 2 weeks ago.
Some faint spice and there are floral notes too – perhaps a faint pyrazine but this blossoms in the glass into such a beautiful perfume with lots of flowers. Wider, more depth of flavour, supple yet still with a base in tannin – such complexity energy and so long too. Bravo…
2016 Pommard 1er Argillières
‘Always a 1er that’s not as shy as it first seems to be.‘
Lots of width, plenty of complexity, a hint fumé. Wide, mineral, a drag of the tannin. A wave of finishing flavour with some oak today, but fine…
2016 Pommard 1er Chanlins
A good width of aroma, going modestly deep but with interest. Supple, wide, the most intensity yet and framed with some tannin. Mouth-watering finishing intensity. An exciting wine!
2016 Pommard 1er Chaponnières
82 years old vines.
A silky width of aroma – a little noisette at the core. Fresh, open, lots of energy, a grab of finishing tannin. Slowly mouth-watering flavour.
2016 Pommard 1er Les Epenots
30% wc, 50% new oak. ‘The most sophisticated wine of Pommard.’
Hmm, a beautiful core of fruit here with a faint twist of high-toned spice. A grain to the texture but finer than before – a more open freshness. Very slowly fading. Lovely…
All stems and 100% new barrels – the same as in 2015.
A narrow starting nose but one that opens out in the depth. Supple, concentrated, more a textural drag than a grain of tannin. The depth and richness of the flavour covers everything. Really one of the best I ever had from this estate.
2016 Monthelie Blanc
Northern exposure, mid-slope, lots of limestone. Bought grapes, 30% new oak. 1 month in barrel.
Hmm, an open and fresh nose – really inviting. Hmm, a mix of ripe fruit, salinity, fresh and intense. Delicious wine!
2016 Corton Blanc
From En Rognets et Corton, 100% new oak – 17 months elevaged.
A fumé character from the oak. The fruit more reticent at the core. A little tannin but also a volume of fresh flavour, that’s both complex and mineral. Lots of oak today but a volume and presence too – plus the oak is more of the spiced variety, not vanilla. Super finishing width, a saline width. This will be a super wine but wait 10 years – hopefully the wine will be in great shape and waiting for you.