Bouchard Père & Fils : Pommard Village 2021

Tasting Notes and Serving Suggestions for the 2021 Pommard Village by Bouchard Père & Fils

Tasting

Color

The color reveals an intense ruby red hue with garnet highlights, reflecting the wine’s depth and concentration.

Nose

The nose displays fine aromatic complexity dominated by notes of black cherry and blackcurrant. Spicy nuances of white and black pepper accompany these fruity aromas, while subtle touches of licorice and undergrowth add an elegant tertiary dimension. With aeration, notes of toasted almonds and leather gradually emerge.

Palate

On the palate, this Pommard shows a firm, silky tannic structure characteristic of the appellation. The attack reveals a lovely concentration of fruit carried by tannins that are present yet refined. The balance between lively freshness and tannic substance gives the wine a fine architecture. Black-fruit aromas linger on the palate, accompanied by spicy and mineral notes. The finish is long and persistent, with a fine expression of Pommard’s clay-limestone terroir.

Food and Wine Pairings

This 2021 Pommard Village is an ideal match for roasted or grilled red meats, notably a rib of beef or a rump steak. It pairs beautifully with traditional Burgundian dishes such as boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin. Game meats like venison or wild boar, as well as roast duck, also make excellent pairings. For cheese lovers, opt for aged hard cheeses such as Comté, or Burgundian washed-rind cheeses such as Époisses.

Serving and Cellaring

It is recommended to serve this 2021 Pommard Village at a temperature between 16 and 17°C. Decanting for around 30 to 60 minutes before serving will allow the wine to open fully and express all its aromatic complexity. This wine can be enjoyed now, but it will reveal its full potential after a few additional years of cellaring, through around 2033.

A structured and elegant Pommard, true to the Burgundian excellence of Bouchard Père & Fils

The estate

Founded in 1731 in Beaune by Michel Bouchard, the House of Bouchard Père & Fils is one of the most venerable wine institutions in Burgundy. Based since 1820 at the Château de Beaune, it now farms 98.7 hectares spread across 77 climats, the majority classified as Premier and Grand Cru. Owned by Artémis Domaines (the Pinault group) since September 2022, the estate undertook a major restructuring in 2025: 35 hectares of its most prestigious terroirs are now grouped under the new entity Domaine des Cabottes, while 60 hectares remain under the historic name. Certified organic in 2025, the estate is moving toward biodynamics under the direction of Frédéric Engerer.

The vineyard

The Pommard Village 2021 comes from plots located on the Côte de Beaune. This terroir is based on clay-limestone soils enriched with iron oxides, giving the wines their distinctive character. The vines thrive on east- and southeast-facing slopes, at altitudes between 250 and 330 meters. This optimal exposure encourages the gradual, harmonious ripening of Pinot Noir. Well-drained soils and the mineral complexity of Pommard’s terroir lend the wines a pronounced tannic structure and remarkable aromatic depth.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy proved particularly challenging for winegrowers. After a mild, wet winter, spring saw an early start to the growing season, followed by devastating frosts in early April that considerably reduced yields. Summer was mixed, with rainy spells in June and July before a more clement month of August. Veraison took place from mid-August under good conditions. Despite these climatic challenges, the grapes harvested in September reached fine ripeness with remarkable sugar-acidity balance. Volumes were historically low, but the quality of the wines proved excellent, characterized by bright freshness, refined tannins, and an elegant aromatic expression.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the 2021 Pommard Village are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness. Vinification is carried out on a parcel-by-parcel basis in vats, with fermentations driven by indigenous yeasts. Macerations last between two and three weeks, allowing for gradual, controlled extraction of phenolic and aromatic compounds. Aging then takes place in French oak barrels for 12 to 18 months in the historic cellars of the Château de Beaune. The proportion of new barrels is carefully adjusted to add complexity without masking the expression of the terroir. This respectful approach aims to preserve the finesse and authenticity that are characteristic of Bouchard Père & Fils wines.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir