2008 Francois Parent Pommard Les Épenots

Burghound.com has called the Francois Parent 2004 Monthelie Champs Fuillot "Outstanding...A top value." And the review noted that the wine is "a quality effort by any standard." As with many domaines in Burgundy, the domain Francois Parent's history is complicated and includes many family ties to other nearby domaines. Francois Parent is married to A.F. (Anne) Gros, and Francois is involved with the winemaking at both domaines. Francois Parents owns about 12 acres of vineyards. The domaine makes produces 40,000 bottles a year.

Les Epenots, also known as Les Petits Epenots, is a 38-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.