Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot, Pommard, Tavannes, Burgundy, France, 2021

Producer Profile

Laurent Pillot, who took over the running of this domaine in his mid-20s, transformed his family’s estate from one to devoted to grape-growing into one of the more distinguished winemaking estates in the Côte de Beaune, though he has since transferred the winemaking responsibilities to his son, Adrien.

Consisting of a superb collection of vineyards and a modern winemaking facility on the edge of St Aubin, both the domaine’s reds and whites are of an excellent quality – notably the white Chassagne-Montrachet and the rounded, sultry Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Rouge, both of which clearly express a beautiful underlying minerality.

Viticulture

The soil is very stony, mixed with shallow red earth. Sometimes the limestone base rock breaks into the soil profile. This results in a very hot micro climate in summer near the grape bunches, due to the reflected sunlight from the white stones. The soil also contains iron ore.

Winemaking

The hand harvested grapes arrive at the winery where they are destemmed and vatted in stainless steel and concrete. The fermentation starts with natural yeasts and there is daily "pigeage" or punching down. The wine is then racked into barrels and is matured for 15 months in oak of which a third is new oak.

Tasting Note

Wines from Pommard are often hard and virile; not so with the Pommard 'Tavannes' which offers substantial body and a round mouthfeel, with cherry, blackberry and spice aromas which echo on the palate, supported by fine, slightly dry tannins. This wine has fine structure giving it excellent cellaring potential, but why wait?

Food Matching

Fabulous with rich game dishes, pates or terrines.