2012 Domaine Faiveley, Pommard Premier Cru, Les Rugiens

Full medium red. Lovely perfume of red berries, sandalwood and dried flowers. At once seamless and precise on the palate, offering excellent energy and lift to the flavors of red cherry, cranberry, spices and flowers. Finishes sweet but firm and vibrant, with a touch of pepper contributing to the impression of grip. Very young.

Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Pommard 1er Cru les Rugiens from Faiveley has an attractive bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, soy and cooked meats (almost a "Bovril" like scent.) The palate is medium-bodied with rounded and supple tannin, good acidity, soy-tinged red berry fruit mixed with dried orange peel, marjoram and sage. There is typical Pommard like structure and masculinity towards the finish that earns it an extra couple of point. This is a very respectable Pommard from Faiveley given the growing season, though it does not quite exhibit the élan of the Rugiens from Domaine du Pavillon.