The Complete Pommard
2009 de Montille Pommard
1er Cru Les Grands Épenots
Allure, Authority, Staying Power, Value
"Sexy and irresistable."
That's how Etienne de Montille describes the 2009 red Burgundies.
Which is saying something, coming from a house whose wines tend to be a little austere in youth, wines that are unapologetic in their minerality and tannin. Proprietors/winemakers Etienne and Alix de Montille have referred to their winemaking style as demanding "considerable patience while waiting for appropriate drinking windows for certain vintages."
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2009 is a different story; de Montille's 2009s are stunning right out of the gate and the Pommard 1er Grands Épenots is one of the top wines in their stable.While it has the stuffing to age for two or three decades, it is drinking superbly right now.
To our minds, this is an ideal meeting of vintage and producer, the 2009 vintage coaxing the de Montille style out of its harder shell while, conversely, the de Montille style checks the exuberant flourishes of ripe and luscious fruit, reins it in and gives it a compelling structure and tension.
Then there's the question of place; in today's wine, that place is Pommard. Here, in the Premier Cru Les Grands Épenots, de Montille and 2009 meet to create a wine full of the commune's signature power and muscle - a wine of authority - that lets its hair down a bit.
Further, the aromatics that de Montille was able to coax out bring even further allure. This is a clear example of an extremely quality-driven estate demonstrating hard work in the vineyards. As the Burghound noted in his profile of the house in 2009, "de Montille's emphasis on keeping only the freshest fruit paid big dividends as the aromatics are almost like a hypothetical blend of his '08s and his '09s rather than the fruit compote noses of many '09s." You may have guessed that we like this hypothetical blend very much.
As you'll have noticed if you've been following our 2009 red Burgundy program, we've really tried to focus on bringing to the table wines that offer great value. It's clear that pricing is up thanks to the quality and the early accessibility of the wines, yet we're after those that also have some accessibility in pricing. And we're after those that have staying power in the cellar. The 09 de Montille Grands Épenots clearly offers both, along with all the tension, detail and - yes - sex appeal that draws us to Burgundy in the first place.
This is a very sharp value today, but our parcel is limited. Please let us know your maximum, ideal order, and we'll do our best. To order, please click below, offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits