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What We Say 2003 Pommard 1er Cru 'Les Boucherottes'
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Mission Codename: Côte de Beaune Finesse
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Seek a Premier Cru from the Côte de Beaune
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Domaine Fief de Montjeu
Wine Subject: 2003 Pommard Premier Cru ‘Les Boucherottes’
Winemaker: Jérôme Sordet
Backgrounder:
Just south of the town of Beaune and the Route des Grands Crus lies perhaps one of the most famous villages in all of Burgundy. Pommard, as of recently has undergone a Renaissance in its wine production as some of the finest winemakers in the region turn out wines of tremendous finesse and elegance. *’Les Boucherottes’* is a Premier Cru with a number of larger producers as well as smaller artisan producers making exceptional wines that are some of the benchmarks in Burgundy.
The wines in this region are known for their solid structure which adds to their cellarability, with hold times as long as 20 years. 2003 was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast with a Hold recommendation, although this wine is drinking beautifully right now.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Dark purple and garnet with a solid, but clear dark core and ruby pink edges and long slender legs when swirled
Smell – Give this wine a sniff right after you open it and it is amazingly tight, revealing very little of its deep bouquet, but be patient and you will be rewarded. Bold aromas of black cherry, a very interesting earthy ‘dust’ component with hints of floral rose petals, hints of herbaceous leaves and smoke. After even more time, a distinct sweet ripe raspberry, strawberry and cream component emerges.
Feel – Dry and smooth, with the requisite minerality and fine but firm tannic structure that smooths considerable into a velvet smooth wine as its opens up.
Taste – Just like the aroma, take a sip right away and your only getting part of the picture. With a little time, this wines extremely well integrated sour and ripe black cherries backed by a solid tart cranberry component with hints of white pepper and earth.
Finish – Long and elegant with exceptional finesse, that lingers with its sweet raspberry and cream (almost reminiscent of the old ‘Push Up’ ice cream treats) fruit and earthy components.
Conclusion – This wine reminds us of why Burgundy is still king when it comes to Pinot Noir. Smooth and elegant, solid structure with well integrated flavors and a tremendous finesse not commonly found. This wine has cellar potential, so be sure to pick up a few bottles to enjoy now and a few to put away for a special celebration in the future.
Mission Report:
It was a few weeks ago when I was passing through Burgundy, Agent Terroir as my ‘official’ guide, that we came across several exceptional wines. I was, however, done with being kept in the dark. Agent Terroir likes to keep each winery we visit a mystery until we drive down the driveway.
Enough of that. I had researched a couple Premier Crus that I wanted to taste and after the fiasco, albeit it did result in a fantastic wine selection, I was taking over. When, Terroir left the keys to our god-awful green Citroën 2CV on the tasting bar and a snatched them, it caught him off guard.
“What are you doing?”, he exclaimed, “You can’t drive in France!”
“And why not?”, if I can handle traffic on Los Angeles, I can certainly handle driving the Route des Grands Crus. He was not angry, but surprised at my insistence.
One of the wineries I wanted to visit was Domaine du Fief de Montjeu and had recently acquired from Domaine Coste-Caumartin, but it was the Fief de Montjue 2003 Pommard 1er Cru ‘Les Boucherottes’ that was of interest to me. 2003 was an exceptional year in the Côte de Beaune (93 points by Wine Enthusiast) and this particular Premier Cru, even though its a big and robust wine was known for its finesse and elegance.
As we arrived at the Domaine, Terroir asked me “how did I know where to go?”,
“What?”, I responded.
“This was next on our list”
“Good, I just don’t like your driving brother Terroir, and next time don’t leave your waypoints in the GPS.” I only said that to allow him to save face. It was his handler that turned me on to the wine, but that’s our little secret…
This wine, one the other hand, is no secret, its just delicious!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the famous Pommard village can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Domaine du Fief de Montjeu
Awards & Accolades:
Decanter 3.5 Stars (Coste-Caumartin, Clos des Boucherottes, Pommard) Refined, concentrated, fullish and complex. From 2010.
About The Wine:
The Pommard 1st Cru “Le Clos des Boucherottes”, located in the other extremity of Pommard in the direction of Beaune, distinguishes itself by a round and silky attack in mouth. It is followed by a power which expresses itself at the finish with a noticeable length.
About The Winery:
In 1793, the Estate entered in the family with Antoine Coste’s wedding. A century later, the reputation of the Estate was already very strong with numerous medals.
When you enter in our Domain, you can see our well. It was dug in the Middle Ages. Signature of the Domain’s origin, this well has become our symbol.
Since 1988, the Estate has enjoyed a renewed success under the management of Jérôme Sordet. Quickly, the domain expanded from 22 to 30 acres, with the building of a cellar and a modern winery of 400m².
The company currently employs 7 people and produces 60 000 bottles, including 72% of red wines and 28% of white wines.
Located in Côte de Beaune, our vineyard extends on Pommard, Saint-Romain and Beaune, including the prestigious Monopoly of the family: Pommard 1st Cru “Le Clos des Boucherottes”
A team of wine growers takes care of the vineyard, with the traditional bourguignon know-how, the respect for the various soils and the environment.
Thanks to our low-yield and a careful sort out, our grapes concentrate fine and elegant aromas from our terroirs.
Note: After 2003 the Domaine changed its name from Domaine du Fief de Montjeu to Domaine Coste-Caumartin à Pommard.
Vinification and Maturing:
The Domaine Coste-Caumartin stays traditional, but vinifications benefit from the best technologies: pneumatic punching of the cap, thermoregulation controlled by computer.
This modern material enables us to make an exact work. So we can individualize cuvées and maintain a constant quality, in giving value to each Terroir and respecting the caracteristics of each vintage.
Wines are totally matured for 12 months in french oak barrels, with 5 or 10 % of new barrels to obtain the best expression of their terroirs.
The Burgundy is made by a mosaic of prestigious terroirs. They were shaped by men for centuries. From the Middle Ages the wine-growers, helped by monks’ works, who have discovered, identified then emphasized the various
soils of Burgundy.
