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Domaine de Courcel Grand Clos des Epenots Pommard Premier Cru 2000
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The $30 I paid for this Premier Cru is nothing, or at least it’s less than flying to the
vineyard in Burgundy and sticking my face into the dirt. Even then I would only be getting
dirt; it takes wine to bring out the terroir. I’ve heard and read many definitions of
that overused word, in English and in French, but it is one of those axioms; you use it to
define other terms, not the other way around. Or, to put it in a brutally pragmatic and yet
transcendentally inspiring way, “don’t define it, drink it.” Definitively Pinot Noir purple as it should be, the Pommard met my nose first with a dank mushroom earthiness followed by black and red fruit: cassis, cherry and plum. The palate adds wet leaves and hay. The wine has soft tannins, but they are the strong nurturing masculine kind of soft. The finish is a satisfying cadence indeed.
This wine was on sale. Could I have chosen a better vintage? My research tells me yes,
though I fear that trying to climb the Premier Cru and Grand Cru ladder could
have some serious financial consequences for me. I fell ill on my only trip to Burgundy many
years ago, and missed all these wonders. Next time I go I am going to do whatever I can to
get invited into to some of these domaines.
Verdict: Speaks For Itself. |
Tasting Archive
All I want out of wine is everything I want out of life: passion, drama, and authenticity. 
James Beard Foundation Award Nominee http://www.stylegourmet.com/wine/tas00002.htm
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