2014 - Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots, Nicolas Rossignol

The 2014 Pommard 1er Cru Epenots has great volume and panache on the nose, extremely pure and refined with subtle woodland and cold stone notes permeating that black cherry and boysenberry fruit. With time, there are attractive floral aromas, almost like a Volnay. The palate is fleshy on the entry and quite grippy in the mouth; it is surprisingly rich and again, Volnay in style, with great precision on the finish. This is another excellent Pommard from Nicolas Rossignol.

(made from a mix of Rossignol's own vineyards and vines belonging to Aleth Girardin; his vines are 40 years old and Girardin's are 100):Dark ruby-red. Superripe but very fresh aromas of dark cherry, chocolate and fresh herbs. Concentrated, complex and deep, conveying superb energy and a sexy gamey nuance to the youthfully unevolved flavors of sappy dark berries and cherry complicated by leather and mocha; really bulletproof fruit here. Finishes chewy, long and extract-rich, with the rich tannins covered by fruit. Has all the elements to make a terrific bottle. Rossignol told me that he was tempted to replant the oldest vines here after the 2014 harvest because the yields were so low, but he changed his mind and simply replaced the missing plants.

Dark, fresh crimson. Smooth and less fresh than the Caillerets. A cask-sample problem? Chestnuts and a bit bitter. Nicolas explains that this parcel was the most hit by hail. (JR)