Domaine Thierry Violot-Guillemard Pommard 1er ‘Les Épenots’ 2016

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

A weightier offering than La Platière, but no less elegant. Les Epénots presents an added dimension of savoury character and spice that complements a meticulous balance of juicy fruit, savoury tannins and fine acidity. On opening, oak will come to the fore so allow some time in the glass to fully harmonise.

Madeleine Horrigan

Want to deep dive into the Village of Pommard? Check the Wine Bites Mag article “Getting Your Head Around Burgundy Part 6 – The Reds of Pommard from the Côte de Beaune”

About Thierry Violot-Guillemard

Importer, Euan’s story of discovering this 5th generation Domaine is one of Serendipity. After too many stays in bland hotels visiting Burgundy a local suggested staying at Thierry and Estelle’s B&B. Eventually, the question was raised “When are you going to try our wines?” Well Euan’s reaction was the same as mine after my first taste a set of 2016 & 2017 Premier Crus: Rugien, Epenots, Platiere, Derriere Clos St Jean … How much can I have? The wines are delicious. Divine perfumes and stunning tannin’s that are fine, plush and beautifully played. Great harmony across the full set of wines. Vineyards back to 1936.

These wines are a revelation!

There is often a misconception that wines from Pommard are brutish, structured and will need decades to even be approachable. Like most things in life, mass generalisation does no one any favours. Thierry’s wines drink beautifully as a young Burgundy, as always the metamorphisis that occurs with great Burgundy requires patience.

I have been an admirer of Domaine Thierry Violot-Guillemard since I discovered their wines by chance as a student, and while this small six-hectare estate still flies under the radar, it’s only a matter of time until it becomes better known. Classical winemaking, sometimes incorporating a percentage of whole cluster, followed by long élevage, is the order of the day, Thierry Violot-Guillemard emphasizing that he makes his wines exactly as his father did. His son Joannes, who now takes an active role at the domaine, has refined some of the cooperage choices while happily remaining true to the house style. Readers who admire age-worthy, complex Côte de Beaune reds should beat a path to this address. 

William Kelley

If you have a splash of French have a swing at watching the 🎥 film below.

In the Vineyard

Great wines can only come from the best grapes. This is why I take such great care in tilling my land. My vineyards have been under organic management since 1999.

As a proud successor of my ancestors’ heritage, I want to keep my terroir healthy so its quality can be appreciated in each of my wines.

The way I make my wine truly reflects my terroir: no yeasting, no reverse osmosis, not too many technical interventions, and not too much wood so as not to alter the taste of the wine.

I love the delicacy and the elegance, the ageing chardonnay, the distinctive pinot and above all, the fun!

Thierry

In the Winery

So … blah blah blah, grapes come in wine comes out blah blah blah. Hard to know really what’s going on from a technical perspective without having more of a chat with the crew in the winery. Two things are clear the philosophy is about restraint and expression of fruit and whatever is happening in the vineyard is working. Thierry is slowly transitioning responsibility to his son Joannes and we hear that a few things are shifting subtly. With fruit like this it will be fascinating to watch the evolution of the Domaine.

The 2016 Vintage at Thierry Violot-Guillemard

Thierry Violot is almost always upbeat and smiling but he was decidedly somber when it came to discussing the 2016 growing season, noting that “we had exactly one parcel, the Clos des Mouches, that wasn’t affected by the frost. Our overall production was off 80% and we lost fully 100% in several of our vineyards and thus there will obviously be no wine from them in 2016. For example, there will be no Bourgogne Pinot Noirien, Bourgogne-Hautes Côtes, Volnay “Cros Martin” or “Clos de la Chapelle”, Pommard “Vignots”, “Les Arvelets” or “Les Fremiers”. That’s a lot of production to lose but it is what it is and more positively, we enjoyed a good if not truly abundant harvest in 2017 so that certainly helps. The frost was a major problem but so was the mildew so it would be fair to say that until the conditions changed for the better in July, the season was one of constant worry and activity. Thereafter though the season was much calmer as it was warm but not really hot and quite dry. We began picking on the 22nd of September and brought in clean, ripe and phenolically mature fruit. We did our usual vinification and because the fruit was so clean and ripe, there really weren’t any issues to watch out for. As to the wines themselves, I am quite happy with the quality, I just wish that quantities were better as I think people will love their energy and transparency.” I have to agree with Violot that not only is the quality of his 2016s excellent but they should make for highly refreshing and satisfying drinking.

Burghound

Where in the World is Thierry Violot-Guillemard?

Domaine Thierry Violot-Guillemard is based in Pommard holding incredible parcels of old vines. They have additional holding in Meursault, Monthelie, Beaune. In recent times parcels under lease have been added from Pommard, Chassagne-Montrachet and Volnay.