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François Gaunoux, Pommard 1er Cru “Les Grands Epenots”

Burgundy, France 1999 (750mL)
$159.00
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Earth
Body
Tannin
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François Gaunoux, Pommard 1er Cru “Les Grands Epenots”

There’s a feeling I get when I encounter a well-aged, serious red Burgundy in great condition. It’s like a favorite song you haven’t heard in a while coming on the radio. Or re-connecting with a dear old friend from college. Or any other moment of pure joy you might conjure. Mature red Burgundy is as silky-smooth and aromatically complex as red wine gets, awakening not just your senses but your emotions and your intellect as well.
And frankly, a lot of this reverie relies on the comparatively banal realities of storage conditions: Had this 1999 Pommard from François Gaunoux been plucked from a store shelf, where it may have sat for who knows how long, I doubt its impact would have been the same. But since Gaunoux’s importer special-ordered it for us and had it shipped straight from their cellars in Meursault, there were no worries on that front. As this wine fast approaches its second decade, it is still in robust health—a testament to 80-something namesake François Gaunoux and his daughter, Claudine, who quietly craft traditionally styled reds and whites from about 10 hectares of vines in the Côte de Beaune.
The Gaunoux property is based in Meursault, but, in terms of their overall lineup, Pommard is a headliner: they bottle four different wines from the appellation, including this one from the Premier Cru “Les Grands Epenots,” which is known for a higher concentration of alluvial matter (i.e. gravel) and iron in its soils; a mixture that is known to produce a burlier, more muscular style of Burgundy Pinot Noir. As it is, Pommard in general is known for more rustic, angular takes on Pinot Noir, and my best experiences with the wines have always been with more mature bottles like this one, which has shed its youthful austerity and now brims with lush fruit and a pronounced woodsy savor.

Although François Gaunoux, who started his career in his family’s vineyards at the age of 15, is still at it, it is Claudine who runs the show, having ‘officially’ taken over operations back in 2000. They are ultra-traditional in the vineyards and cellar, farming and crafting everything by hand. As Burgundy lovers are aware, 1999 in Burgundy was a relatively hot year and considered a “red wine” year as a result, much like 2002; when tasting this wine, my impression was that it is still on its way up—the concentration and balancing acid is still there for 5-10 years more aging (if, of course, it is stored properly).

In the glass, the 1999 Premier Cru “Les Grands Epenots” from Gaunoux is a deep garnet red with only slight bricking at the rim. It has a deep and soulful aromatic profile, with scents of preserved plum, black cherry, a hint of cassis, then more savory notes of dried porcini mushrooms, sandalwood, a touch of soy, cedar, and dried herbs. There is still substantial palate weight and, at this age, the tannins are as smooth as glass. This is a wine to stand up for about and hour before serving in Burgundy stems at about 60 degrees. I think you can go without decanting it and just pour it slowly to avoid stirring up any sediment. It will not fade, but rather get better, with each sip. It’s definitely a red to sit and contemplate on its own, but it would also do some serious justice to a delicate protein like veal served with freshly foraged wild mushrooms. The attached recipe offers the appropriate mix of rusticity and flash. Breathe deeply, sip slowly, and enjoy!
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FrancePommard
Soil
Clay & Limestone w/ Gravel
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
13.0
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2020
Decanting
Optional
Pairing
Veal Medallions w/Morels

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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