Domaine Lejeune Les Argillières 1er Cru Pommard 2017

Sleuthing for these wine world unicorns is no easy task, but the team at ACME is up for the challenge and has found one just for you! This delectable offering from the small, family-owned Domaine Lejeune is one of our most recent revelatory curations. The winery is located right in the heart of the world-famous village of Pommard, just opposite the 18th-century church of Saint-Pierre et Saint Agnès. In fact, the property belonged to the local parish until ecclesiastical lands were appropriated and dispersed by the state following the French Revolution. In 1864, Maxime Lejeune left just 8 hectares of coveted vines to his daughter, and the family has made wines here ever since. Today, vigneron Aubert Lefas and his children carry on the family tradition of crafting extraordinary, elegant Pinot Noir from their tiny corner of Pommard. This offering from the Premier Cru Les Argillères vineyard has all the adored hallmarks of this classic appellation that produces only red wine: power, structure, and decadence. This is our mental picture when we dream of red Burgundy!

Les Argillères is a minuscule parcel perched on a limestone-rich hillside just above Les Épenots. Aubert and his team pick the grapes from each cherished vine by hand- in most years around mid-September. Each individual wooden vat is filled with 20% whole cluster Pinot Noir, which imparts a spiciness and tannin to the final wine. Now, as in generations past, the grapes are foot trod and fermentation kicks off with native yeast. After 21 days, the wine is racked into once-used small barriques to age for just one year before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. The pointed and precise nose is brimming with aromas of red fruit, cherrywood smoke, and crushed rock. This Pinot Noir has a forward, approachable style, yet herbal and leather notes add complexity. Structured tannins, lively acidity, and pronounced minerality leave the palate begging for more. And at $65 for this luscious Premier Cru, you can afford to treat yourself!