Lejeune | Burgundy | Pommard 1er Cru “Les Rugiens” AOC | 2020 | 750ml

Description

Product description for Lejeune Pommard 1er Cru “Les Rugiens” AOC 2020

Information about the Wine

The Pinot Noir fruit comes from the Les Rugiens vineyard in Pommard. This 1er Cru is located near the village on the Volnay side and is divided into Les Rugiens-Hauts and Les Rugiens-Bas, covering 12.66 hectares. Along with Clos de Epeneaux, Les Rugiens-Bas is considered the best vineyard in Pommard. It is said to have Grand Cru character. Lejeune owns its 0.26 hectare holding in this part of the vineyard. It is characterized by limestone, clay, and loam with a lot of iron, which is why the soil is red and why the vineyard got its name, Rugiens. This is the archetype of the powerful, down-to-earth, age-worthy Pommard style. The wine was produced in the typical Lejeune style: each vat was filled to approximately 30 to 40% with whole grapes. These were mashed with the feet to release enough juice to begin alcoholic fermentation, which is triggered by the action of natural yeasts present in the winery atmosphere and on the grape skins at harvest time. The whole bunches of grapes are then placed on top of the mash. This phase of alcoholic fermentation lasts five to seven days and is known as semi-carbonic maceration because many berries ferment whole and not as the pulp. The entire fermentation takes around three weeks. The wine is then transferred to wooden barrels with a new wood content of around 60 to 75%. This is more than for the other wines, but matches the strength that the vineyard brings to the wine. Before bottling, the wine is lightly sulfurized but not filtered or fined.

Colour

Bright, slightly transparent cherry red

Nose

The Les Rugiens 2020 is a picture-perfect Pommard with its deep nose of red and dark fruits mingling with grilled meat and herbs, tamari, undergrowth, and earthy notes. These are underscored by slightly smoky notes, a hint of Earl Grey, and a touch of mint. With a little air, a very charming, slightly sweet note of ripe raspberries creeps into the fruit.

Palate

Of course, this Les Rugiens is still very young, but it already shows a lot of its class. There’s a vibrant energy from the limestone soil, as well as a restless, dark, subterranean blend of tobacco, leather, and spices, still waiting to erupt. Again, dark fruits, some meat, and herbs. It’s a juicy, earthy, and somewhat silky Pommard with plenty of power and complexity, but also a sensual element. Given time, this wine will be truly excellent!

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Keywords: Lejeune Pommard 1er Cru “Les Rugiens” AOC 2020 Burgundy France

Producer website: https://www.domaine-lejeune.fr/english.htm