2016 Pommard, Les Croix Noires, 1er Cru, Domaine Louis Boillot & Fils, Burgundy
Critics reviews
Neal Martin - 29/12/2017
About this WINE
Louis Boillot
Louis shares his cellar with his other half, Ghislaine Barthod , under their home in Chambolle, overlooking Les Feusselottes. He is part of the Boillot family from Volnay, which explains the quantity of his vineyard holdings in the Côte de Beaune.
Since striking out on his own in 2003, he has been able to maximise the potential of his many disparate small parcels – he makes 16 wines from less than seven hectares – many of which are notable for the exceptional age of their vines.
He expanded into Moulin-à-Vent in ’13 and subsequently into Fleurie, fulfilling a long-held ambition. His and Ghislaine’s son Clément is now officially in charge, while Louis focusses on his viticulture. As yet, there are no discernible changes.
In the winery
“Non-intervention” is the word here, and Louis prefers to let his old vines speak for themselves. Everything is destalked, and the wines are bottled without fining or filtration.
Pommard
The most powerful red wines of the Côte de Beaune emanate from Pommard, where complex soils with a high proportion of iron-rich clay produce deep-coloured, relatively tannic wines. A Pommard that is ready to drink in its first few years is probably not going to be a great example of the appellation.
Two vineyards stand out: the lower part of Les Rugiens, which has been mooted for promotion to Grand Cru status, and the five-hectare, walled Clos des Epéneaux, monopoly of Comte Armand.- 212 hectares of village Pommard
- 125 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards (28 in all). The finest vineyards include Les Rugiens, Les Epénots (including Clos des Epéneaux) and Pézérolles
- Recommended producers: Comte Armand, de Montille, de Courcel, J-M Boillot
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
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Description
Only one barrel was made this year, from 80-year-old vines. It’s very Pommard on the nose, which is to say there is a density to the fruit, with almost an earthy undertone; yet it is countered by a heady, bright fruitiness of cherry and blueberry. Lots of power and energy in this wine. Drink 2022-2032.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Louis Boillot came to Chambolle-Musigny, where his partner Ghislaine Barthod is based, from Gevrey-Chambertin, though as his full range of wines indicates, he is descended from the Volnay family of Boillots. He was formerly associated with his brother and father at Domaine Lucien Boillot, but set up on his own from the 2003 vintage. In 2013, Louis supplemented his holdings in the Côte d’Or with the purchase of just over four hectares of well-sited old vines in the north of Moulin-à-Vent (the fruit of which you’ll find on pages 54 and 55). Louis and Ghislaine have recently been joined by their son Clément. Given that Louis thought that his 2015s were among the best wines he has ever made, it is quite a step up for him to say that, categorically, this is his best-ever vintage. It is an assertion that’s hard to refute. His eschewing of current trends in winemaking (no whole-bunch here) and a modest, reflective stance has allowed him to get the best out of his extraordinary array of vineyards and old vines. There are wonderful expressions of each vineyard this year.
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