2013 Bernard Boisson-Vadot Pommard

Domaine Bernard Boisson-Vadot is small, family-owned and operated Meursault estate with a loyal following in France. The father and son team of Bernard and Pierre Boisson run the 12.5-acre estate, producing no more than 4,000 cases of premier cru and villages wines annually. Pierre Boisson also makes a few wines under his own label from vineyards inherited from his maternal grandmother. Though the estate’s wines have always been considered excellent, in the last decade Pierre has brought an increased attention to traditional, old-school winemaking. Boisson-Vadot’s parcels include many old vines, and the Boissons believe in limited use of new oak, indigenous yeasts only, and no filtration. Vinous has awarded the domain’s wines scores in the low- to mid-90s, and noted that the domain has “created considerable buzz.” Burgundy reviewer Clive Coates has called the domaine “a good source.”

Pommard is a relatively large appellation of 1,655 vineyard acres just a few miles south of Beaune. Though it has no Grands Crus, Pommard’s 28 Premiers Crus are generally well regarded. The appellation produces only red wine, and wine writers often note that despite Pommard’s proximity to both Beaune and Volnay, its wines are very different from the Pinot Noirs produced in neighboring appellations. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that “The top Pommards are full-bodied, chunky, muscular, fleshy wines that impress one more for their power and expansive, mouth filling texture than for pure finesse.” The most famous Premiers Crus are Les Epenots and Les Rugiens.

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.