2004 Pommard Les Rugiens 1er Cru

Yves Confuron described 2005 as "like 2002 in balance but with more maturity-almost Rhone-like, as in 2003." The wines are between 14% and 14.5% alcohol, and the malos were just about finished when I stopped by to taste. "The tannins and the alcohol will conserve the wines," said Confuron, who vinified 100% whole clusters and did a full 35 days of cuvaison. "With very little juice in the grapes, the fermentations went slowly," he reported. Confuron has bottled a couple of terrific 2004s, which he described as combining "the tight structure of 1988 and the aromatic richness of 1989." The key to the quality of 2004 was the low crop level and the multiple passes through the vines, he added. Still, he admitted, their tannins are less refined than those of the better wines from the Cote de Nuits in 2004. (Diageo Chateau Estate Wines, New York, NY) Also recommended: Pommard Fremiers (85?).

Yves Confuron did not start harvesting in 2004 until the first week of October and only finished on the 18th. He carried out "long but not violent vinifications," with no post-fermentation maceration. (Confuron has vinified whole clusters since 1996. )The wines, he said, lacked aromatic intensity at the beginning, but they now appear to be sufficiently concentrated to last 12 to 15 years. They will get an elevage of nearly 22 months and will be racked only for the bottling. They were difficult to taste in November, however, as some of the malos had not finished and the wines were in various states of reduction. The estate's large-scaled '03s are superripe and '47-like but avoid coming off as cooked. The two top wines of the estate were bottled with alcohol in the 14. 5% range, and pHs nearly off the grid, as Confuron did not acidify. They will rely on their tannins and considerable phenolic material to age. "They have huge tannins, but the tannins don't bother you," noted Confuron; "the mouth is fresh two seconds later. "