2006 Pommard Les Rugiens 1er Cru
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Tasting notes
The de Montille 2006 Pommard Les Rugiens – which I last tasted just before its bottling – displays site-typical rich meatiness and smoky, "ferrous" character, with abundant but reasonably fine-grained tannins and formidable grip. Dark berries and burley tobacco, peat and iodine give this a metaphorically very dark hue. It has plenty of structure, but less vivacity than the corresponding Taillepieds, and it will be interesting to see whether in the long run this proves to have more tannin that it needs to get where it's going over the next decade. I would in any event grant it a 3-4 year head start. Domaine de Montille – for more about whose generational change and impressive recent expansion consult my report in issue 171 – has now completed the renovation of old cellars in Meursault that house in addition to the estate's wines those of Deux Montilles, the white wine negociant project of siblings Etienne and Alix de Montille (for a report on which, see my issue 186 coverage of 2007 vintage white Burgundies). The de Montilles began picking in Volnay on September 25, followed by harvest of Pommard, Corton, and then Beaune. "The sugar levels were around 13% potential alcohol and they kept going up," reports Etienne de Montille, "but I didn't taste that much difference in the ripeness of the fruit." Meanwhile, rot was threatening, and diligent triage as well as gentle, watchful vinification followed. But de Montille – who sees the vintage as combining aspects of 2000 and 2002 – persisted in his recent fidelity to whole-clusters and stem inclusion, with the top cuvees hovering around 50% vendange entier. Incidentally, de Montille had the estate's new cellars scrupulously searched and tested for signs of TCA; has installed a system for removing chlorine from the water used there; and (in a move that will affect an even larger portion of the production at Chateau de Puligny, which he directs) will be employing DIAM composite corks for the bottling of several (relatively) less-expensive wines, starting with vintage 2008. Various importers, including Beaune Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 559 1040; also, a Thomas Calder Selection, Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Mid ruby. Light, slightly beetrooty/stalky nose. Lots of acidity. Quite fresh and harmonious though not desperately ambitious. Even this is a bit awkward and green on the end. (JR)
(50% vendange entier; this and the Taillepieds were bottled in May of 2008) Bright, full red. Highly nuanced nose combines redcurrant, tobacco, iron and flint. Quite ripe and rich, with a liqueur-like candied cherry flavor dominating today. Offers the best palate coverage of these wines to this point, finishing with suave but serious tannins and excellent length. This really calls for four or five years of cellaring. Excellent for the vintage.
(50% whole clusters) Moderately saturated medium red. Redcurrant, iron, coffee and tobacco on the complex nose, along with a musky minerality. A step up in dimension and depth of flavor from the foregoing wines, with tangy red fruit and mineral flavors lifted by excellent vinosity. Harmonious, subtle and mouthfilling Pommard, finishing with broad, suave tannins and very good length.
About the producer
Volnay’s Domaine de Montille is one of the most historic in the Côte d’Or. Founded in 1730, the property remains family-owned and run, with Etienne de Montille – the ninth generation – at the helm today.