2014 Pommard 1. Cru Les Rugiens Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley

The 2014 Pommard 1er Cru les Rugiens, which comes from "Rugiens Haut" in the north of the vineyard, was completely destemmed in this year. It has a very well defined bouquet, the fruit a little darker here than its peers, with blackberry and blueberry fruit mixed with fine mineralité. This is very refined, very pure. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with red cherries, blackcurrant and a hint of balsamic. There is great tension and harmony here, laser-like focus with a persistent and sorbet- fresh, almost "rocky" finish. This is superb.

Bright medium red. Sexy perfume of redcurrant, dark cherry, dried herbs and spices. Spicy, juicy and very dry but shows more floral lift than the Volnay Clos des Chènes. Precise and penetrating thanks to its strong mineral energy. Finishes with noble tannins that avoid the toughness of the Clos des Chènes and slowly building, savory persistence. Bouley told me that 55% of the crop was lost to hail and that partly for this reason he destemmed all of his fruit.