Château de Pommard : Pommard Village "Clos Marey-Monge Monopole" 2019

What a complex and elegant array of red cherries, dried flowers, slate, white truffles and wild raspberries here. Silky and refined tannins that melt into the wine. Medium- to full-bodied. Mineral, long and sophisticated Pommard that goes well beyond village level. Drink or hold.

Full bottle a heavy 1,628 g. At the base of the hill of Pommard. The largest monopole vineyard in Burgundy (20 ha), and the Ch de Pommard are bottling different parcels separately. Surrounded by a 2-metre-high wall, vines aged 20–80 years. This is a blend of the seven cuvées from the limestone- and clay-rich terroirs of the Clos. Three bottles were presented in a clearly very expensive box. Hand-harvested organic grapes, hand-sorted on a vibrating table, 20% whole-cluster, fermented in tank, long maceration, minimal pumping-over and punching-down, aged in barrel on fine lees for 18 months. 20% new barrels. 20,000 bottles produced. Mid ruby. Lively, aromatic first impression of sour cherry and wild strawberry, all the red fruits but doesn't smell sweet thanks to light notes of spice and the freshness brought by the whole-bunch component. Wild red fruits, refined and yet persistent. You could drink this quite soon if you like to focus on the fruit but with food. It clearly has a long life ahead. (JH)