Domaine Nicolas Rossignol : Pommard 1er cru "Chaponnières" 2019

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Pommard 1er cru "Chaponnières" 2019 from Domaine Nicolas Rossignol

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a magnificent deep ruby-red hue with bluish highlights.

Nose

The nose opens with expressive, warm aromas of wild fruits, notably cherry and blueberry. With aeration, balsamic nuances of pine, cedar, and heather emerge, followed by spicy touches of white pepper and tobacco. The bouquet then evolves toward more indulgent notes of praline almonds, biscuits, and toasted bread.

Palate

The attack on the palate is superb—warm and full-bodied—balanced by well-integrated acidity that brings precision and freshness. The finish reveals floral nuances of rose, peony, and anemone, accompanied by touches of leather and chocolate. The tannins are dense yet fine, offering beautiful structure without aggressiveness. The length on the palate is remarkable.

Food and wine pairings

This Pommard 1er cru "Chaponnières" 2019 pairs perfectly with finely prepared red meats, furred game such as wild boar or venison, as well as feathered poultry such as pheasant or partridge. It also matches very well with dishes in red wine sauces and wild mushrooms.

Serving and aging

This Pommard 1er cru "Chaponnières" 2019 is particularly well suited to extended aging and will gradually reveal its full complexity over the years.

A powerful and complex Pommard 1er cru from Burgundy by Domaine Nicolas Rossignol

The estate

Founded in 1997 by Nicolas Rossignol, a fifth-generation winegrower in Volnay, Domaine Nicolas Rossignol now spans around 25 to 30 hectares across some thirty appellations in the Côte de Beaune. After working on the family Rossignol-Jeanniard estate from 1994 and completing internships in several French wine regions as well as in South Africa, Nicolas Rossignol created his own estate with an initial 3 hectares. In 2011, the two estates merged under the single name Domaine Nicolas Rossignol. Nicolas Rossignol now runs the property according to a philosophy focused on expressing the terroir, practicing sustainable viticulture that incorporates organic and biodynamic methods. The estate is renowned for its elegant, taut wines that embody the quintessence of the Côte de Beaune.

The vineyard

The Pommard 1er cru Chaponnières comes from a plot located at the southern edge of the village of Pommard, at the foot of the hillside just below the famous climat Rugiens. The soil is characterized by deep clays with a high iron oxide content, giving the wine remarkable mineral depth and structure. The vines, which Domaine Nicolas Rossignol has been solely farming since 2019, have an average age of around 80 years. These old vines, with deeply anchored root systems, naturally produce low yields and concentrated grapes that fully express the typicity of the terroir.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage was an exceptional year in Burgundy. After a mild winter and a spring marked by a few frost episodes in April, flowering in June took place in cool conditions, leading to natural coulure that reduced yields while concentrating aromas. The hot summer brought beneficial moderate water stress, allowing the berries to develop high sugar levels while retaining fine acidity. Late-August rains encouraged optimal ripening, resulting in grapes of remarkable balance and generosity.

Vinification and aging

The grapes for the Pommard 1er cru "Chaponnières" 2019 were hand-harvested at optimal ripeness and then rigorously sorted. Around 30% of the harvest was vinified as whole clusters, with the remainder destemmed. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts, without temperature control, followed by an extended 24-day maceration allowing for optimal extraction. Aging continued for 17 months in oak barrels, 30% new and 70% one-wine barrels or older, with no racking, fining, or filtration.

Grape variety

100% pinot noir