Jean Guiton Pommard 2017

2017
Pinot Noir
Jean Guiton

More Wines from Jean Guiton

$56.00

Our tasting impressions

I am constantly amazed by Guillaume's talent for elevating a village wine to splendid heights - and he does it by doing so little. A testament to the adage: great wines are made in the vineyard not the cellar. In keeping with the vintage, this a lovely Pommard, with a degree of elegance you don't normally associate with this appellation. It will improve and be great for mid-term drinking but enjoy them now as well, and let the 2016 sleep.

 

About this wine

100% village Pinot Noir from 3 vineyards - Rue au Port, En Mareau and Les Vignots. Exposures are south and east and the soil includes marl and marly limestone.  The vines were planted in 1950, 1970 and 1995.  Harvesting is by hand and yields are 42 hl/ha.

 

Fermentation lasts 18-22 days with maceration (cold to start), including pigéage (punching down the cap).  The wine ages in oak barrels (25% new) for 15-18 months.  A light filtration is done before bottling if necessary.  No racking. 2,800 bottles produced each year. 

 

About the grape

Pinot Noir is an ancient grape from eastern France. Notoriously challenging, it thrives in cooler climates.  The concept of terroir is most closely identified with Burgundy because the lightness of Pinot Noir enables it to so transparently express minor differences (which is why experienced tasters can discern the difference in wines produced from vineyards in very close proximity).  Intense popularity resulted in plantings all over the world but most agree that its finest expression is in the Côte d’Or of Burgundy.

 

About the vintage

A bountiful crop was welcome after the major decline of the previous year. The Pinot Noir was generally fruity, reasonably acidic and gentle in tannins. Many wines appeared from barrel to be light and potentially short-lived, but since bottling they have been bulking up. What started out looking like a restaurant vintage (early consumption) now shows signs of becoming more exceptional.

 

Suggested Glassware: Grassl Cru 

Jean Guiton

Guillaume Guiton is a fiercely dedicated and extraordinary vigneron and a super nice guy.  In the grand scheme of Burgundy, his vineyards would be considered modest...his wines, we consider, anything but.

 

He has been running this 11.5 hectare Domaine since 2002.  His father Jean started it in 1973.  Very much a hybrid estate, Guillaume owns 4ha, rents the rest and even buys grapes in his pursuit of the best he can get.  He produces about 50,000 bottles per year.

 

He is a devoted terroirista, who welcomes the opportunity not to intervene in what nature offers. His methods vary based on vintage circumstances but he usually de-stems his red grapes and mostly avoids fining and filtration.

 

Guillaume is an intense student of barrels.  He raises many wines in a variety of barrels before blending, only uses them for 6 years and never employs more than 20% new oak.