In short order, Xavier Horiot has put his own distinctive stamp on Pommard: He crafts wines with the region’s signature power while adding polished layers of refinement and dark-fruited finesse. Tasting this magnificent Premier Cru bottle was a rare look into the elite level of Côte de Beaune reds that rival their far-more-expensive Côte de Nuits counterparts. Put simply, this bottle is the most profound ‘young’ Pommard I’ve tasted in years, perhaps my entire career.
As for the “how” behind Domaine Launay-Horiot, it is a paragon of “pursuing the dream.” Proprietor Xavier Horiot originally intended to continue the traditions of his centuries-old family estate by crafting pure, perfectly balanced expressions of Pinot Noir that showcased the coiled power and perfume of Pommard. But, unbeknownst to Xavier, 11 years of turmoil would have to be endured before he could even begin achieving this. Explained below, his is a tremendous story of perseverance, but it comes with a silver lining: His hardships resulted in a phenomenal lineup of micro-batch wines from Pommard and Chambertin that are shattering expectations and shocking the rarefied circle of critics who have tried them. Our allocation is small, but we are honored to be one of few American retailers offering it. Some wines sell because of their quality, others because of the story; Launay-Horiot’s stunning, category-defying “Les Chaponnières” proudly, impressively, does both.
When you can reap millions from vineyard acreage in Burgundy, inheritors of a family estate can sadly become entrenched in all-out warfare. That’s what happened in the year 2000: During his waning days, proprietor Raymond Launay got his affairs in order by leaving the generations-old estate to his daughter and his grandson, Xavier Horiot. Xavier was ecstatic to take on the estate and forge ahead as the new generation—his aunt, however, was not. When Raymond was made aware that his daughter planned to sell off the estate and its vine holdings for immediate profit, he rushed to revise the documentation on his deathbed, but unbending French inheritance laws made that impossible. Thus, 11 years of court battles, legal fees, and family tension followed. In 2011, the judge finally ruled in favor of Xavier, but, as if in a Greek tragedy, Xavier’s heirless aunt died just two months after. It wasn’t all in vain though, because without Xavier’s persistence, the estate would’ve been long lost.
After the court ruling, he was faced with something even more daunting: the estate’s future. In the decade-long litigation, six figures in legal fees came from his own pocket; the estate’s holdings had shrunk to just four hectares; and he was left with a skeleton staff. Consequently, Xavier made the decision to step down from his military service and devote all waking hours to rebuilding the domaine. What did remain were several parcels of various Premier Cru vines in Pommard and two slices of land in the prime Grand Crus Chambertin and Latricières-Chambertin. After forming the domaine in 2011, he spent three years farming by himself and selling off grapes to household names like Louis Jadot to stay afloat. Finally, with the help of loans and grants, he rolled out his first vintage in 2014.
Today’s “Les Chaponnières” is a respected Premier Cru in Pommard, and Xavier’s .59 hectares of nearly 70-year-old vines (originally purchased by Raymond Launay) neighbor the most lauded vineyard of Pommard: “Les Rugiens-Bas.” He farms this iron-rich clay and limestone terroir according to lutte raisonnée principles, and after hand harvesting, the grapes are de-stemmed and cold-macerated in stainless steel. After fermentation, the wine is aged in roughly 35% new French oak. “Everything he does is calculated and precise,” says Xavier’s US importer. “And his new-to-market wines transcend their sometime-rustic appellation, bringing finesse and elegance to dark, deep, sophisticated wines that are soft and refined on the palate.”
Onto the wine: Though just his third vintage, somehow Xavier has already harnessed the generations of winemaking expertise that preceded him. But this isn’t the rustic, austere Pinot Noir that you may associate with Pommard. No, this is incredibly stylish and powerful, bursting with high-toned floral aromatics and dark, plush fruit that screams elite Burgundy. With a short decant, black cherries, blackberries, redcurrant, and blueberry ooze from the glass, followed by crushed rock, iron, forest floor, lavender, fresh rose petals, tea leaves, and a hint of piquant baking spices. The palate is rich, full, and utterly fascinating, showing a balance of Chambolle “prettiness” and Corton power while ending like a plush, top-notch Pommard with dark and savory components. This is blue-chip Burgundy with vivid energy—a brilliant marriage in the 2016 vintage—that will go the distance should you want to cellar it. It’s drinking remarkably well right now and only requires a 30-60 minute decant, but I can’t wait to revisit this in five, ten, even 15 years. When consuming, do so in large Burgundy stems just above 60 degrees and open alongside a ‘16 Premier Cru from Côte de Nuits. Besides luxuriating in two prestigious Pinot Noirs, it will be a perfect way to compare two esteemed terroirs—especially with a rabbit cassoulet on the table. Cheers!
