2021 Pommard La Croix Blanche

“My production is less than a feuillette, so I sold it,” Anne Parent tells me resignedly at her cellar in Pommard. “I usually buy some white grapes but not this year, so there is no white. There is also no Monthélie or Pommard Croix Noir or Ladoix Village. I lost 70% due to frost, which was a black frost, unlike 2016. My father said it was impossible to do anything against that. It was -6° Celsius. In 2016, we lost fruit on the plateau, but in 2021, it is on the incline and everywhere. Everything is de-stemmed, and there is less new oak. It’s the smallest crop at the estate since 1975. But I think the fruit is fantastic, very classic in structure. I think you should not rush this vintage – some start slowly and can become great.” Whilst Parent is a bit downbeat towards her 2021s that are fewer in number due to the loss of contracted fruit, I love them! Maybe without the veneer of new oak that I occasionally find a little obfuscating, I found these wines have sparkle or what the French call “éclat”. Coerced wisely to use less wood, Parent’s wines benefitted and being the experienced and skillful winemaker that she is, this represents one of the most successful ranges in Pommard.