2005 Domaine Pousse d'Or Pommard Les Jarollieres 1er Cru

Bright ruby-red. Complex, high-pitched aromas of black cherry, licorice and spices. Lovely sweetness to its dark fruit, licorice, menthol and earth flavors, with lively acids providing excellent cut. There's an almost peppery quality to this very fresh and sharply delineated 2005. Quite fine and airy for Pommard. Finishes dense and energetic, with traces of iron and leather.

Landanger’s 2005 Pommard Jarollieres smells and tastes of mulberry and black cherry laced with wood smoke, pitting mineral and forest floor bass notes against juicy fresh black fruits on the palate, and the invigorating raw berry fruit character helps relieve what could otherwise be a rather somber, dark vinous personality. This combines refined tannins and depth and clarity of fruit with a tremendous amount of sheer density. I would check back in 5-7 years but expect improvement for an equal period thereafter. Also recommended: 2005 Volnay Caillerets ($104.00; 86+?). In the decade since the ambitious and conscientious Patrick Landanger (who just bought an estate in the Douro, whence he was headed the Sunday we met) purchased Pousse d’Or, he has expanded the holdings to include parcels in Corton and Puligny Caillerets, and made huge investments in the vineyards and cellar. Not surprisingly given nature’s role, the 2005s – which he called unproblematic in every respect – look to set new quality standards for his tenure. Landanger says he was very sparing with punch-downs this year and entirely eschews pump-overs because he never pumps (and thus doesn’t filter either). The wines had just been bottled, and a couple of them appeared to be laboring under the effects of this (or at least of the sulfur administered beforehand). Importer: Langdon-Shiverick Imports, Cleveland, OH; tel. (216) 861 6800 and a Peter Vezan Selection, Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93