“Pousse d’Or is a grand yet somewhat undervalued estate. Its wines can have greatness and refinement, and its viticultural and vinification endeavours makes them interesting and well-positioned in today’s Burgundy market.
“With technical ingenuity and vinification perfection, the estate produces some hedonistic marvels with energy and the blessings of true vins d’emotion.”
Steen Öhman, Winehog
Jacques-Marie Duvault, a Santenay-based grower and wine merchant, and prominent local councillor, bought the Bousse d’Or vineyard in 1857. His total holdings would encompass 130ha before the time of his death including Romanée-Conti. The link with the descendants and holdings of Duvault ended in 1964 with the purchase of the chateau and Cotes de Beaune plots by a consortium of buyers, including Louis Seysses (whose grandson Jeremy Seysses is owner of Domaine Dujac) and managed by Gerard Potel. After Potel’s death in 1997, the estate was bought by Patrick Landager, whose son Benoit has slowly been taking over the reins since 2018 (and now fully since Patrick passed away in 2023).
This is one of the most storied, yet under-rated and, given the exceptional quality of the wines, under-priced domaines in the whole of Burgundy. The holdings, 17 hectares in total, encompasses an almost unparalleled seven Grands Crus, three Monopoles, and eleven Premier Crus. Even their lone village wine, a stunning Chambolle Musigny, includes fruit from two vaunted premier cru vineyards! The main reason for the domaine continuing to fly under the radar is because of their sublime disinterest in self-promotion. Critics are very rarely permitted entry, and the few who are, not until June, so no tasting notes will appear until at least four months after the en primeur campaign, which means it often misses out on reviews altogether. Meanwhile the domaine refuses to allow its wines to appear for sale online so growing the fan base is strictly a word-of-mouth affair. Fortunately, the Domaine holds back a reasonable quantity of maturing vintages to supply directly to restaurants, commendably at the original release price to keep them affordable, to which we also get access, if we ask very nicely!
Allocations on request, please enquire.
Clos de Tavannes Santenay Premier Cru, 2022
A walled vineyard, bordering Chassagne-Montrachet. The oldest vines, planted in 1920, were originally sourced from Romanée-Conti.
Deep but pure fruited, pastille sweet nose with herb accents but spicier and leaner on palate - succulent, long and fresh, with stony, well-delineated tannins, this another good example of why Santenay is demanding attention as amongst the best value, most satisfying of all Burgundy’s villages.
Clos de la Bousse d'Or Volnay Premier Cru Cuvée Amphore, 2022
This walled monopole vineyard is located next to the Volnay town hall. A quarter of vines was planted in 1958; the remainder in the late 1960s and 1970s. Aged for fifteen months in terracotta amphorae. Jasper Morris observes that the wines from here generally have – “wonderfully succulent fruit, immense charm and good weight right across the palate. Expect plump red fruit with some blacker notes in the warmer vintages.”
Sweet floral perfume, raspberry, polished red cherries and sweet herbs. A very perfumed nose, rose petals, iodine, very pinot, red currant fruit, with a darker, smoked meat note.
Palate has good focus, tension and linearity, even if its quite pent-up and coiled currently. The accent is on red berry fruits smashed on old, white stones, bordered by vibrant acidity and textured, salty tannins. This shows the same intensity as the excellent 2020 but with a little less concentration and more charm.
Clos des 60 Ouvrées Volnay Premier Cru Cuvée Amphore, 2022
An inner lieu-dit of ‘Caillerets,’ located on the border with Meursault, with soils rich in marl and limestone. Nearly half the vines were planted in the 1940s and 1950s; the rest in the 1980s. Jasper Morris notes the wines here have “all the class and quality of Pousse d’Or, with perhaps a touch more structure and hence longevity”. A broad, juicy attack of raspberries and red currants leads on to a dimensional palate, exotic woodsmoke, star anise and other mixed Eastern spices, kept in trim with sappy tannins and long acids.
Corton Bressandes Grand Cru, 2022
The estate’s single acre of vines was planted in 1956, 1986 and 1994, and faces east.
Nose is bright and full of red plums with a deeper, black truffle note but also a more floral wilted perfume developing. Attack is full and penetrating, sweet and well-centred, heavy on the cherries and hedgerow fruits with plush, enveloping tannins and a graceful, salt and rose petal finish.
Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru, 2022
The domaine has 3ha here, half of which were the subject of bitter court dispute after the maison renting the vines on a 18 year lease refused to give them back. My notes also tell me that apparently the husband of the former owner was buried in the vineyard. This is clearly a site with an interesting history! A good melange of red, black and blue fruits on the nose, which is quite brooding but shows signs of crushed stones, wild mint and fresh oregano, and a light mocha hint.
High-toned, bordering on ethereal, the palate emphasises energy and elegance, is fresh and stony, this shows off the qualities of the vintage as well as the evolving image of the vineyard – towards wines of intensity rather than density.
Chambolle-Musigny, 2022
From the Domaine Moine-Hudellot purchase in 2008, from seven plots around the village including two declassified 1er crus (‘Les Borniques’ – which borders Musigny Grand Cru to the south, and ‘Les Chabiots’ – which touches ‘Amoureuses’ on its eastern edge), 1.4ha in total. It is ironic that Pousse d’Or’s only village wine actually contains fruit from not one but two premier crus! Velvety, floral perfume, rich with summer red berry fruits and a touch of cake mix. Sappy and richly textured attack, centred around sweet, spiced red plums, silken but with with good acid and long tannins that really draw the bright fruit along seductively. Clearly outperforms its village status, this is arguably the best value wine in the domaine’s portfolio.
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Groseilles, 2022
From the Domaine Moine-Hudellot purchase in 2008, the vineyard sits in the middle of the village, roughly equidistant between Bonnes mares and Musigny.
High toned nose of violets and pastille red fruits. Baking spices, medicine cabinet and kirsch underlying but and airy freshness prevails.
Quite stony palate, showing good bones, this has elegance and edges in spades well-covered by the ripeness of the bright red berries at its core.
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Charmes, 2022
Another plot from Domaine Moine-Hudellot, Charmes is on the same level as Amoureuses and tends towards full ripeness and rich, round fruit.
Spicy, inky nose, with plum skin and wet stones, plus a herbaceous, floral note note of carbolic soap and parma violets.
Palate is long, succulent, and rises like salty smoke in the mouth. This is very good, a more nuanced and subtle version of Charmes.
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Amoureuses, 2022
From Domaine Moine-Hudellot, located at the northern end of the vineyard, next to Les Chabiots.
A deep nose, currently primal and still coalescing, but plum skin and tight red cherries bubble up, plus a dark trench of mineral depths to explore.
Waves of flavour from attack to the extended finish, gentle and built on energy not mass. This will be memorable.
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, 2022
From Domaine Moine-Hudellot, the plot has just 13cm of soil before the roots hit the limestone bedrock.
An intense nose, dominated by warm, white stones and tight, brambly red berries with various spice and earth notes intermeshed.
The palate has the generosity and amplitude of the cru, is open and succulent, with ripe, sorbet berry fruits, black and red, truffle and sous-bois notes, some cocao, forest floor and a trace of woodsmoke.
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru, 2022
From Domaine Moine-Hudellot, located in the heart of the cru. 0.17ha, planted on “terres rouges,” iron-rich clay and limestone, on the Chambolle side of this historic grand cru vineyard.
A generous nose compared to the Amoureuses – with clearly expressed red currants, blueberries, orange skin and a trace of crunched up star anise. Palate is direct and focussed, sappy and linear, building seamlessly in power and intensity to the long finish.
Echezeaux
One barrel only.
A velvety nose with rose petals and salt, and intense raspberries showing off the red fruit profile of the vintage
Palate is generous and supple but well-tailored, with structural elements – fine-grained tannins and well-judged acidity – ensuring the rich, spiced berry compote core is channelled properly to a succulent, saline finish.
Charmes Chambertin
Includes Mazoyeres and it shows – the inky, pastille fruits have a wilder, arboreal, darker berry edge.
The attack is firm but juicy, leading to sweet, spicy notes of sandalwood and roasted herbs, and a touch of polished leather. This bristles with energy and has the succulence and depth to ensure persistence.
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Le Cailleret, 2022
Neighbouring Montrachet, this east/south-east facing walled cru is one of Puligny’s top sites. The domaine uses larger oak barrels, only 25% of which are new.
Piquant with anisette and fennel, this has a very pure nose, which really all about the fruit, so many variants of pears especially.
The oak is fully integrated, and ensures the palate is extremely vibrant and fresh, salty and energetic, cleansing.
Acquired from Olivier Leflaive, the plot is right in the middle of Domaine Leflaive’s holding, and produced in two special 300 litre barrels. Stony and tensile, perfectly proportioned, with chiselled acidity, a renaissance sculpture (vinous de Milo?) in a glass, and another example of energy and depth without mass.