2020 Pommard En Boeuf

Boris Champy landed on his feet after setting up base in the village of Nantoux, up in the Hautes-Côtes behind Pommard. (For background details, readers should refer to my Producer Profile in last year's 2019 Burgundy report.) Buoyed by the success of his maiden vintages, Champy was eager to show me his latest vintage. “It became hot, around 39°C, on August 4, and this first heat wave was when you could see vine stress, but we still cropped at 36hl/ha, which is pretty good. In 2020 we harvested three times: August 20 to 22 for the Beaune, August 28 for the Pommard Hautes-Côtes de Blanc, and September 4 for the Bourgogne Aligoté. When I picked the Aligoté, it was at 12.3° potential alcohol and the complanté Pinot Noir and Chardonnay had reached 16.0°! Of course, we did not pick them. I think that people picking at the right date made great Aligoté. The alcohol levels are around 12.3° to 12.4°, except for the Clous 377, which is 13.4°, though we didn’t know that when we were harvesting it. When you are biodynamic, you have a bit more acidity, and the levels were very good in 2020." I was pleased to learn that following my enthusiastic reviews last year, Champy's phone did not stop ringing. The good news is that those fortunate enough to have bought his 2019s have more to look forward to. These wines just ooze freshness and vitality. They defy their status and represent outstanding value.