2020 Domaine Lejeune Pommard Premier Cru Les Argillieres

• 95 Point Vintage ~Wine Advocate
• Traditional Winemaking, Grapes Crushed by Foot
• Family Owned & Operated Since 1783
• BHW has the Lowest Price Anywhere!
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About the Wine

Nestled within the picturesque landscapes of Burgundy, France, lies the esteemed village of Pommard, renowned for producing exceptional red wines from the iconic Pinot Noir grape. Pommard's unique terroir, characterized by a mosaic of soils including limestone and clay, imbues these wines with a distinguished character, boasting robust and velvety flavors underscored by subtle earthy nuances.

Pommard wines possess a remarkable aging potential, evolving gracefully over time to reveal intricate layers of complexity and depth. The village's storied heritage, combined with its collection of esteemed producers and revered premier cru vineyards, solidifies Pommard's standing as a captivating destination for oenophiles and a realm of vinicultural excellence worth exploring. One of the most iconic producers of this region is Domaine Lejeune.

This family Domaine traces its ancestry back as far as 1783. For five generations Domaine Lejeune passed from aunt to niece. The Domaine takes its name from Maxime Lejeune passed in 1864, but built the estate to over 50 acres. Today Domaine Lejeune is owned by the Jullien de Pommerol family. François Jullien de Pommerol (former enology professor at Beaune's Lycée Viticole) takes charge of the vineyard and the winemaking.

Aubert Lefas is the current winemaker of Domaine Lejeune and can trace its history back as far as 1783. The 10-hectare Domaine has been passed down for 5 generations and is owned by the Jullien de Pommerol family, which Aubert married into. The red winemaking here can only be described as traditional. Open wooden vat fermentation, one of which, encircled by 17 hoops of white birch, is the oldest of its kind in the entire Burgundy region.

The objective here is to fashion Pommard in the traditional style, with a solid potential for cellaring and aging. The method of vinification is highly original. Each vat is filled to about 20-40% of its volume, with whole clusters or bunches. These are trodden by foot to release enough juice for the alcoholic fermentation to begin, precipitated by the action of natural yeasts found in the atmosphere and on the bloom of the grape at harvest time. This phase of the alcoholic fermentation lasts 5-7 days and is called "semi-carbonic maceration" as many of the berries ferment whole, rather than as a pulp. The grapes are encouraged to macerate or steep as long as possible, to provide color and tannin, often taking 21-26 days between the time the wooden vats are filled to the time the wine is run off into barrel. The wines are neither fined nor filtered before bottling.

Elevage: 50% barrel (10% new oak), 50% tank. 90% whole cluster fermentation

Tasting Notes: 100% Pinot Noir.  100% Pinot Noir. Pointed and precise nose of red fruit, smoke, and chalk. Lots of red fruits in a forward, approachable style; herbs and leather notes add complexity. There is a pretty serious mineral structure apparent as you get to the finish but completely wrapped in ripe red fruits.

Reviews

(100% Pinot Noir, 14% alcohol) Funky nose, smoky, mineral, dark and red fruits. The palate is structured and compact, a wine with muscle and power, a very prominent tannin structure and a certain wildness on the finish. Must mature, has class. ~92 vvWine.ch

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