Pommard

Albert Bichot's Domaine du Pavillon holds a 3.5 ha monopole in Pommard — Clos des Ursulines — a structural rarity in a village where climat fragmentation is the norm. Rather than centralise vinification in Beaune, Bichot vinifies this wine at the estate closest to the vines, a deliberate house-wide policy that preserves the micro-terroir distinctions that a central winery would flatten.

Pommard's soils here are iron-rich clay-limestone with a shallow topsoil over compacted marl, producing Pinot Noir of notable density and grip compared to the lighter gravel-over-limestone of neighbouring Volnay. The village's lower elevation and eastward aspect concentrate phenolic ripeness, particularly in a hot year.

Harvest was handpicked, followed by a cold soak of 6–8 days and total maceration of 18–20 days in thermoregulated conical oak vats; this cuvée incorporates up to 30% whole-bunch, adding structural grip and aromatic lift. Aging runs 12–16 months in light-toast Tronçais and Allier barrels at village-level new-oak proportions (20–30%), calibrated to amplify terroir rather than impose wood character.

The whole-bunch component is the transgression here — unusual for a village-level Pommard and more commonly reserved for Premier Cru cuvées in the Côte de Beaune.

The 2022 vintage — hot, dry, early harvest — delivers ripe, generous fruit with supple tannins; approachable now but structured for 5–10 years of cellaring.