After you’ve been making wine in Burgundy for 900 years, you learn a thing or two about what it takes to produce great wine. I tasted an exceptional Volnay lately from Domaine de la Pousse d’Or that is one of the best Burgundies I have ever tasted. The wines from Pousse d’Or rarely come our way, so to be able to score some 1976 Clos de la Bousse d’Or is a rare treat indeed. Clos de la Bousse d’Or is regarded as one of Volnay’s greatest vineyards and only one of a handful of “monopoles”, or vineyards owned by a single estate or domaine. (As opposed to the multiple/fractured ownership of a vineyard; which is the norm in Burgundy). I recently had the privilege of tasting the 1976 vintage of this wine, and I must say that it is perhaps the best Volnay I’ve ever tasted. I say “perhaps” because a Domaine d’Angerville 1990 Clos des Ducs (another Volnay monopole) I had a couple of years ago was pretty darn good too! The 1976 Clos de la Bousse d’Or had all the hallmarks of classic Burgundy: earthy notes with faint herbal aromas of sage and thyme, bright red-fruit flavors of cherry, raspberry and dried cranberries, all tied together with supple tannins and a velvety texture on the palate. Arguably the finest and most prestigious Burgundy house in Volnay, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or has been in existence since the 1100s, when the Duchy of Burgundy held all the titles in the land. It is one of the oldest wine producers in France and they have a very long history indeed. It was originally called Bousse d’Or or ‘Golden Earth’ in middle French (the name is commemorated in their flagship wine Clos de la Bousse d’Or,) but over time the word evolved to its current iteration. By the 19th century it had become part of a larger domaine which also encompassed other reputable properties as Romanée-Conti and Clos de Tart. But without proper maintenance and over time the domain fell into disrepair. It was eventually Gérard Potel who resurrected Domaine de la Pousse d’Or to its former glory. In 1964 Potel acquired the domaine through a marriage to the then owner’s neice. With his untimely death in 1997 the domaine passed into the hands of the current winemaker/owner, Patrick Landanger. Gérard’s son, Nicolas Potel is a terrific winemaker in Nuits-St.-Georges and his wines are worth exploring as well. Though somewhat difficult to come by, any of the wines from Domaine de la Pousse d’Or (as well those from Domaine d’Angerville) will show you that the very best wines from Volnay can rival the very best reds from anywhere in the Cote d’Or. Have a Grape Day
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 22:35:28 +0000
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