Hot, dry growing seasons are now the norm in Burgundy. Twenty years ago these vintages would have been unusual – a challenging outlier requiring some careful adjustments in the cellar. But as warm, sunny conditions have become the new normal, both growers and vines have begun to adapt more permanently.
Winemakers have adjusted their growing techniques and cellar practices to manage riper grapes, higher sugars, and earlier harvests. Now with several years of practice, growers manage to maintain balance and freshness with the new crop. Despite the heat and lack of rain, the 2019 red Burgundies are some of the most exciting we’ve tasted.
Domaine Mégard is the product of a father-son team making a single wine near the Pommard-Volnay border. The vines come from Pommard, but the proximity to Volnay gives the wine a splash of velvet and charm. Particularly in 2019, it’s an old-school, carefully oaked, delicious red Burgundy, and a well priced one at that.
The 2019 Mégard Pommard is deep and lovely with a nose of violets, cassis, and hints of earth. It’s always beautifully oaked, and this year is no exception – faint hints of toast join only to support the concentrated red fruit. There’s notes of soy sauce, beef broth, and plum all wrapped up into a punchy, delicious package. Serve with steak-frites.
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Mégard Pommard 2019
bottle price: $59
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