De Courcel
This is, we believe, the finest estate in Pommard. Some say that the Rugiens should be upgraded to Grand Cru status, or as Coates indicates in his book Côte d’Or if you need convincing of this, taste it alongside an Echezeaux. And in keeping with this comparison old Yves Tavant has been replaced in the cellar by Jacky Confuron’s son, of Vosne Romanée fame, in order to improve further the quality of the other wines in the estate.

Certainly an impressive array of equipment had been acquired, but one can’t help thinking that poor old Yves, the third generation of his family to work for the domaine has been harshly treated. It was not so much his ability that was in doubt,  he probably did not have the authority or a free hand to act on his own volition, instead waiting for orders from Monsieur de Courcel in Bordeaux. The new regime certainly seems to have the free hand to make things happen. That is not to say the Rugiens is any better than before - how could it be? – but that the Epenots and Fremier seem to have benefited from the extra attention lavished on them. There is now no filtration - a decision that Tavant was not allowed to take.

The top Pommards, like the Volnays, are hugely underrated wines and represent excellent value for money. It may be that people associate the Côtes de Beaune with white wines, or that it produces an awful lot of mediocre wines. Whatever the reason, any true Burgundy lover would need his head examined if he or she did not take a closer look at these appellations at this level.