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Even at this early stage, it is abundantly clear that Clos de la Commaraine is a Pommard of true distinction, one that is sure to rank amongst the finest wines from this historic commune, perhaps even setting the benchmark against which they ought to be measured. There are many reasons for this. First off: pedigree. This vineyard has long been held to be of exceptional
quality, as documented in various historical publications.
A case in point: as far back as 1855, the terroir of Clos
de la Commaraine was rated as Première Cuvée by Dr
Jules Lavalle in his renowned Burgundy classification
tome. Going even further back, Thomas Jefferson, the
American President who famously was an ardent lover of
French wines, was said to have been so impressed by its
wines during a stay at the property, that he ordered 126
bottles of the 1785 vintage. A respect for nature also plays an important role here. We have long observed that the world’s finest estates, regardless of origin, tend to be practitioners of sustainable viticulture. Domaine de la Commaraine holds these same values. Shortly after the property came into the hands of its current owners, the domaine initiated organic conversion, starting in 2018. It’s not surprising that this change came around the same time that Louis-Michel Liger-Belair was appointed as the domaine’s principal consultant. The domaine and Louis-Michel both agreed that organic farming was imperative if they were to make wine of impeccable quality. They have since made plans to work towards going fully biodynamic. Last but not least, there is a unified, no-holds-barred
ambition to restore the vineyard to its maximum potential.
The owners who bought the property from the
Jaboulet-Vercherre family have given the domaine team free
rein, directing them to spare no effort in understanding
their 3.75-ha clos vineyard, in order to make a fresh
start and turn the page on the wines previously made by
Louis Jadot.
On the advice of Louis-Michel Liger-Belair and his longtime collaborator, soil scientist Pedro Parra, the domaine divided the vineyard into eight distinct plots. They then used state-of-the-art electromagnetic conductivity analysis to map out the variability of the soil properties in each plot. This was done in part to understand if the soil systems were balanced or lacking in any particular nutrient or component. This rigorous attention to detail is carried through to the cellar, where each plot is vinified separately, and evaluated thoroughly, before decisions on the final blend are made. All of these steps serve to underscore the domaine’s perfectionist approach. Thanks to Louis-Michel, we were introduced to Jean-Luc Vitoux, the estate director, and managed to pay a visit to the domaine last fall. Pommard is a beautiful village, serene, idyllic and seemingly untouched by time. And though the village is incredibly pretty, the domaine itself takes it to another level — this property is gorgeous. Construction work was underway to restore the 12th century château, which will be reborn as a luxury boutique resort. Jean-Luc was visibly enthused about the development of the site, being an architecture buff himself, and he showed us around the building, pointing out various original artifacts that had been excavated as they were hacking the floors and partition walls. Located in the northern part of Pommard, the walled
vineyard (‘Clos’) of Commaraine is insulated from outside
influences, and therefore is especially suited to organic
and biodynamic farming. The moment we laid eyes on the
vineyard, it was obvious that the team had been hard at
work. Even nearing the onset of winter, the soil looked
fresh and alive, and the vines meticulously tended,
glowing with warm autumnal amber. Jean-Luc explained to us
that the studies on the eight micro-plots were still
ongoing and that his team was diligently monitoring the
findings. They believe that eventually having a full
understanding of the Clos’ various microclimates will help
the domaine to craft wines that will befit the vineyard’s
hallowed historic reputation.
Then came the tasting. We’ve never had a tasting at any domaine we’ve visited where there was just one wine. But we understood that this was the inaugural vintage, and that the only wine that the domaine had produced that year was its prized monopole premier cru. Given the unique circumstances and the quality of the wine we encountered, this was quite an unforgettable experience. We tasted from a bottle drawn out from the blending vat.
(We were told that the final bottling would take place two
to three months later.) Jean-Luc shared with us that they
actually vinified 35 barrels from the vintage, but that
eventually only 20 barrels were selected by Louis-Michel
and Jean-Luc to make it into the final blend. This was a
momentous decision, as this assemblage will also help to
chart a path for the emerging expression of the domaine’s
terroir. One sniff into the glass and it was clear as day whose
hands made this wine. The signature Liger-Belair grandeur
— seductive high-toned perfume, bright, well-delineated
opulent fruits laced with mineral tones, satiny texture —
they were all there from the get-go. The level of finesse
was stunning. There are very few Pommards that come close
to the level of this wine’s expressiveness. This is an
extraordinary feat given that this was only the debut
vintage. The results more than confirm the vineyard’s
pedigree and vindicate Louis-Michel’s all-out effort to
make a truly special wine. The new oak ratio was spot on,
just sufficient to give the wine that polish and the room
to put on some volume in the mouth. The tannins were very
fine, framing its billowing fruit but never restraining
it. It was a superb Burgundy and, as a debut, indeed
magnificent.
We are excited by what's going on in Pommard right now,
and we're strong believers in this village’s
revitalization. A new generation of vignerons seems to
have cracked the code of how to express the commune’s
impressive constitution in a flattering, alluring package,
and the Clos de la Commaraine 2018 is nothing if not pure
seduction in a bottle. For anyone seeking a great Burgundy
today, this is not to be missed. Pommard is in the
ascendancy and Domaine de la Commaraine will undoubtedly
be one of the top names to watch as this renaissance
continues. Prices in this offer are valid only for orders taken up to 29 October 2020. Orders will be processed subject to availability and written confirmation. Full payment is required no later than 7 days after confirmation invoice has been sent to confirm the order. No reservations allowed and no further discount.
The wines are estimated to arrive in Q1 2021, subject to shipper’s final notice. All terms and conditions apply.
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