1996 Domaine De Courcel Pommard Grands Clos des Epenots

Domaine de Courcel is in Pommard. Founded more than 400 years ago, the 23-acre estate is still owned by the de Courcel family. The winemaker is Yves Confuron, who comes from a respected wine producing family in Vosne-Romanee. It has Premier Cru parcels in Les Croix Noires, Les Fremiers, Les Rugiens and it has a monopole in Le Grand Clos des Epenots. There are also red and white village wines.

Les Grands Epenots is a 25-acre Premier Cru vineyard in Pommard, in Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune. It is in the central part of the Pommard appellation, to the east of the village. There is a gentle slope to the vineyards in this part of Pommard, and the Burgundy expert Clive Coates notes that “the presence of pebbles in the soil ensures good drainage and contributes to the considerable elegance which you find in a good Epenots…” Because Pommard has no Grand Crus, its Premier Crus are especially noteworthy. Pommard is an appellation of red wine only.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.