2021 Pommard Clos des Arvelets 1er Cru

Guillaume Camus, plus hound, greet me in the courtyard of his Savigny-based winery to escort me through his 2021s. “Frost and coulure were the main factors in reducing volumes, and there is no Chardonnay this year,” he explains. “It was catastrophic in this sector, not to mention that in addition, the 101-49 rootstock is very fragile [see my Burgundy report on the 2019s from barrel concerning the ongoing degeneration problem afflicting the region.] It was complicated work in the vineyard with strong disease pressure in weaker vineyards. After, it was a fresh year, warm in June during flowering and finally sunny in early September. It was quite a late harvest beginning on 21 September, cropping at around 20hl/ha and alcohol levels from 12.2% to 13.2%. I found the use of stems in 2021 more interesting than in 2022; the maturity [and consequently lignification] was blocked.”

There is no escaping the fact that when tasting through his 2021s, it is clear that Camus could not avoid the limitations of such a traumatic vintage. However, as always, some crus seem to battle against the woes, not least a very commendable Pommard Clos des Arvelets.