Pierre Girardin Pommard 1er Cru Les Grands Epenots Côte de Beaune Burgundy 2021

Ahhh, Burgundy.  Be still my beating heart!  The best wines from this region can almost be transcendental, majestically regal with luminous grace, granting pleasures beyond the sensory.  No other region is as revered and sought-after while at the same time so misunderstood, however.  To know Burgundy is to know more than just Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  With a history of winemaking dating back to 1,000AD, a labyrinth of appellations encompassing a maze of small patchwork vineyards all singularly unique, there is a lot to know.  A holy grail for wine lovers, understanding this region is a lifelong pursuit.

Pierre-Vincent Girardin is the 13th generation of his family to make wine in Burgundy.  From a very young age, he grew up learning in the cellar of his revered father, Vincent Girardin.  When the elder Girardin sold his Domaine in 2011, he kept 4.5 hectares of his best sites to one day pass on to his son, the same thing his father did for him a generation before.  In 2017, Pierre-Vincent made his first vintage and immediately garnered the attention of Burgundy lovers everywhere.  His father’s extensive contacts in Burgundy allowed Pierre to supplement his Domaine vineyards through long-term contracts with top growers who hold his meticulous viticultural philosophy.  Together, it represents a portfolio of terroir rarely seen under one roof.  To make white wines with the purity, cut, and precision he desires, Pierre-Vincent commissioned custom 456L barrels from Francois Freres to reduce the amount of new wood influence.  For the reds, he turns his eyes towards elegance and silkiness, highlighting the extraordinary terroir with which Pierre is working.  Pierre explains that he was learning from and helping his father in the cellar from the time he could walk.  His best memories of childhood include chasing the tractor through the vineyards and being near the barrels as his father worked.  Simply put, he knows Burgundy.  It is in his blood.

Along with Rugiens, Les Grands Epenots is considered the best 1er Cru in Pommard, with 50-plus-year-old vines planted in iron-rich soils.  Pierre does 100% whole cluster inclusion during native yeast fermentation, then ages 12 months in 50% new oak barrels before transitioning to stainless steel for another four months and finally bottling unfined and unfiltered. The brooding bouquet of cassis, mulberries, and smoked meats introduces a medium to full-bodied, textural palate that is almost gluttonous with sensuality.