External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.5 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 87 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Mark van Delft on 3/9/2024 & rated 96 points: Superb Pinot Noir, on the fuller side of the red Burg spectrum: mature cherry, leather, strawberry, tobacco, forest floor, black fruit, medium body, elegant long finish. Q-event (1288 views) | | | Tasted by Rogershkg on 2/16/2024 & rated 92 points: Good Burgundy. Clour was red and reasonably dense, the nose was fruit, the taste was soft easy and not austere and medium length. Went well with roast pigeon (1450 views) | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 12/31/2023 flawed bottle: Pretty massive but unfortunately enough TCA to significantly detract. (1666 views) | | | Tasted by Rote Kappelle on 12/2/2023 & rated 94 points: Yes, fellow Trackers of the Cellar, I hear your plaintive cries and the torment of your souls. 'Why?', 'Why? Oh why?' you cry out, rending your garments and plucking the small hairs of your noses. 'Why does not one review make reference to the Byzantine Emperor, Nikephoros Phokas?' How I share your pain. But be placid now, rest easy, be as the lamb of God, for I am here and bring His message, via Nikephoros' greatest supporter, his help-meet I might say, Liutprand of Cremona.
This Comte d'Armand vintage is, of course, a special one. Like Nikephoros, it comes into crisis and struggles mightily. Its efforts are crowned with success, yet some lingering (admittedly small) doubts remain.
Unlike Nikephoros, it is unlikely that you, gentle drinker, will be murdered in your sleep with the connivance of your wife. Unless it be that you hold stocks of this wine and decline to share them amply with my good self, doubling in the role of the honourable John Tzimiskes.
Like the thundering cataphracts of Nikephoros reconquering Cilicia and routing the locals, or raiding deep into the Saracen held lands around Nisibis (in the course of which he earned the rather charming sobriquet 'White death of the Saracens'), this monopole is of an unusual scale. Not only it is a premier cru in its own right, it is situate in an area replete with wonderful vineyards.
As we all know, Pommard means wines with a pleasing combination of aromatic lift married to considerable heft and power. Sometimes, however, the power puts one more in mind of the Clibinarii (camp ovens) description of cataphracts - a little rustic, rough hewn and the tannins tending to mean and even ugly. Here, however, we have the heavy cavalry as they should be - proud, powerful but also skillful and even graceful.
Nikephoros was one of the great warrior-monk Byzantine emperors. After the early death of his wife he swore an oath of chastity, which must have been interesting when he married the wife of his predecessor as Emperor. Her late husband had allegedly died as a result of his debauched, over sexed lifestyle and his wife was seen as sharing many of his libidinous tendencies. Did she poison Romanos II because he was a bit useless, as alleged? Who knows?
Liutprand described Nikephoros in the following flattering terms after his incredibly successful visit to the court in the 960's:
"a monstrosity of a man, a pygmy, fat-headed and like a mole as to the smallness of his eyes; disgusting with his short, broad, thick, and half hoary beard; disgraced by a neck an inch long; very bristly through the length and thickness of his hair"
This description, doubtless incredibly accurate, bears little resemblance to descriptions by others at the time, nor does it resemble pictures of the Emperor, but if JJ Norwich accepts the views of a fellow European who are we to argue? Other depictions are of an aesthetic looking man, not notably ugly. Which does this wine resemble?
Across two days decanted this wine shows little change. It is deep of hue, showing few signs of age. The nose is aromatic - macerated strawberries, cinnamon, some yoghurt like aspects, a little spice. Very heady. The palate is powerful, long and intense, with tannic grip in balance, although I think we do see the presence of a fair amount of well-handled oak. much like the heavy armour of the cataphracts. The fruit is there to handle it. I have to say that this is almost classical Burgundy. It hews closer to the pictorial evidence of Nikephoros than it does to Liutprand's description.
Like Nikephoros, you may have to engage in considerable economies at home to support the effort of making war/seizing stock of this. In seeking it out I urge you to be as ruthless, as relentless and as willing to overcome initial set-backs as Nikephoros Phokas. Like him, earn a title like 'White Death of the Hoarders of Comte d'Armand'. I also encourage you to be suspicious of Papists, but go one step further than Nikephoros and loathe all religion with a truly Catholic breadth.
'Nikephoros' as we all know translates roughly as 'Bringer of Victory' or 'Herald of Victory'. Our man earned the name. Yet his murder was not unpopular, although his replacement by another military man, his nephew, has a certain irony. Tzimiskes was also deeply religious in his way of life, not just at Sunday service.
Nikephoros handled the expansionist plans of the Germans in Italy roughly, he reconquered strategically important territory like Crete, Cyrus and the Cilician gates and he achieved great success against the dread Saracens.
So, why a nagging doubt about him? Well, as with this wine, one wonders whether the driving force behind the power is sustainable and whether there is incipient over-reach. Here it is, for me, a slight question about the oak. This is not a wine where you must wade through the oak to find a quivering, delicate and dying piece of fruit. But the oak is not a small part of the picture. I tend to the view the wine will continue to grow and continue to soak it up but...
With Nikephoros, it was really about the capacity of the realm to fund the endless wars and the willingness and capacity of its people to endure the hardships of endless war. Within a century the successes were swept away, by the Normans in Italy and Sicily and by the Seljuk Turks at Manzikert. Well before then, the armies had become dependent on mercenaries to a degree unheard of and the rulers and people had become the kind of lame, dope-smoking, slacking little suckers so familiar today.
Drink this wine and channel your inner Nikephoros, or Tzimiskes. Like the wine and the emperors, feel the power and live the life, but do watch the wife. (2659 views) | | | Tasted by hprphf on 10/7/2023 & rated 90 points: Off-Track Leroy BYO (Manhatta): Blind. Sweet and rustic with Pommard tannins. Perhaps a touch too sweet, bottle issue? 90 (2350 views) | | | Tasted by wineton.mee on 9/29/2023 & rated 93 points: The structure here is apparent; deep ruby with a dense core of cherry and plums, good tannins. Then the bouquet, really open; roses and ripe berry fruits.. blend of CM and Vosne romanee type of nose. You also get the alcoholic kick at the back which is representative of the vintage. This needs air but was quite ready within the hour. Another decade of cellaring might yield a real head turner here. (1965 views) | | | Tasted by KVM on 9/11/2023: Dark, fragrant. This is interesting and delicious and fleshy. An approachable vintage for this lieu dit. (2057 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 9/9/2023 & rated 93 points: Anniversary Tasting (Chicago Wine - Glenview IL): A few bonus bottles post-tasting. Great nose. Spiced black and red cherry are very rich with a firm mid-palate for now, Very good length. This needed lots more air, certainly better from 2029- even better yet from 2034-. (2671 views) | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 8/18/2023: Tasted over 2 hrs
-med dark red minimal clearing
-low key ripe dark red fruit
-med acidity, med weight faded creamy dark fruit fig faint medicinal heat, med tannins
-honestly can't tell if this is too early and needs to open up or if it actually is past its best days, hopefully the former if it picks up complexity with maturity but not a slam dunk certainty it will (1705 views) | | | Tasted by bbq_grandcru on 7/22/2023 & rated 89 points: Medium body. Very earthy, limited fruit and a bit disjointed. (1595 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 4/25/2023 & rated 93 points: Clos des Epeneaux survey, part II (Chicago, IL): Ripe, fleshy, and opulent, and in great balance with the structure here. I thought this was showing very well and in line with my expectations. The fruit is definitely a bit sweeter, but it doesn't show any roasted/overripe elements. A mix of black and red, with lots of tannic structure to go along with it. Undoubtedly this will be a long-lived edition. (3184 views) | | | Tasted by Jeanda on 1/3/2023 & rated 91 points: De mémoire, un vin un peu massif, bien équilibré mais manquant un peu d'énergie, de complexité et de finesse. À boire ou à attendre pour voir s'il se bonifie. (2822 views) | | | Tasted by ProfByron on 12/17/2022 & rated 92 points: Classic Burgundy. Has that completeness that pretty fruity New World pinots so often lack. (2493 views) | | | Tasted by redarrowwines on 12/14/2022: both bottles tainted (2521 views) | | | Tasted by jnewman77 on 11/29/2022: I've had Clos des Epeneaux once before, the '07 and I was underwhelmed; this bottle however was impressive and showed me why this is often considered one of the great wines of Burgundy and especially the Cote de Beaune; the nose was stellar; ripe red fruits, sweet spices, damp earth; very powerful and intense on the nose; the palate was also intense and showed excellent concentration, but also excellent energy and freshness especially considering the vintage. Given that it is often still reasonably priced compared to many top end Burgs maybe I need to look for some more... (2741 views) | | | Tasted by Bozekt on 6/13/2022 & rated 92 points: Warm nose of red fruits - cranberry, cherry, with slight oxidative character, black tea, anise, and baked earth. Palate was silky, showing similar fruit character, earthy dried mushroom, sandalwood, and spice. ABV at 13.5, medium body, medium acidity, and finely mellowed med-minus tannin. Smooth, complex, and delicious! (3337 views) | | | Tasted by Neuneuil on 3/19/2022 & rated 93 points: Outstanding Pommard just starting to show a little bottle age. 93 today - 95+ potential for me 5-10 years from now. Stood a couple hours then PnP. Masculinity , intensely smooth berries, bleeding into earthiness. Less tight on day 2. Medium length. Great stuff (3123 views) | | | Tasted by fizz on 3/9/2022: Open, layered, perfumed. Medium weight, with supple tannin. (3017 views) | | | Tasted by ManhattanBeach on 1/7/2022: Brought on a Caribbean holiday in a suitcase on a plane, kept at normal room temp for a while, then chilled down to fridge temperature and decanted. Barbarous, I know. Not the best way to observe a variety of delicate nuances. Notwithstanding which it developed significantly in the glass over time / as it warmed up a bit. Clear Pommard muscularity, and good energy. (3590 views) | | | Tasted by andrew.white.ke@gmail.com on 9/11/2021: Even with a few hours decant this was nowhere near opening up, only got a sense of what it was about towards the end of the bottle. Would leave for a few more years or give serious air beforehand. (3795 views) | | | Tasted by LWI on 8/8/2021 & rated 94 points: Blind. Earthy -- yet elegant and light on its feet, complex, fresh and long, glorious finish. Not at all like the rustic Pommard cliche. (3511 views) | | | Tasted by apple1813 on 6/1/2021 & rated 93 points: 2009 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux was developing, and found a delicate balance between power and elegance. The developing Pommard was clear medium ruby in colour with noticeable fine sediments. It was quite closed freshly uncorked, with notes of meat and matchboxes. With three hours of in-bottle aeration, it opened up gorgeous perfume of blackberry, dark cherry, rose and violet, followed by earth, liqourice and a touch of mint.
The mouthfeel was dry and medium-bodied, balanced with medium-high level of acidity and medium level of finely grained tannin. An impressive core of saline minerals and gentle spices built up on the mid-palate, which transitioned into wild berry, smoked game and forest floor in a long savoury finish. The alcohol level was at 13%. It perfectly showcased the discreet power of Pommard Pinot Noir.
Clos des Epeneaux is a 5.2-hectare, walled monopole on southeastern-facing slope. Underneath the brown clay topsoil was a hard limestone. The vineyard was certified organic and biodynamic. The grapes were completely destemmed, and aged in mostly used oak barrels for eighteen to twenty four months. (3606 views) | | | Tasted by fizz on 4/7/2021: Quite big and gutsy initially. Probably served too cold (straight from the cellar). Revealed red and dark fruits, with firm but pliable tannins that respond well to food. A slight bitter edge to the finish. The next day the bitter edge had gone, and the wine was much more open. (3397 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 1/25/2021 & rated 93 points: The nose is opulent and ripe and matches my expectation of the vintage. It's not jammy, but is an exuberant array of ripe berries and stone fruit. The palate has some of the sweetness implied by the fruit but also some autumnal earthiness and slight herbal bitterness that cuts through the sweetness. The finish is probably the weak point here, with plenty of young tannins and a bit of an alcoholic burn. Delicious nonetheless, I don't intend on visiting this again for a few years. (4724 views) | | | Tasted by valedeniro on 12/27/2020 & rated 95 points: This is a smooth mouth filling rendition of Pommard with a marvelous deep ruby color and a wonderful nose of strawberry,red cherry and raspberry with hints of rose petals and a strong earthy mineral presence.The palate is graceful,deep and pure,with the fruit very well balanced by a grippy mineral finish that lingers nicely.Brilliant and absolutely grand cru in quality. (5424 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jasper Morris
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy, Ten year on tasting: 2009 vintage (6/1/2019)
(Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru, Domaine du Comte Armand, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, December 2012, Issue #38
(Pommard Clos Des Epeneaux, Comte Armand –) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Allen Meadows
Burghound, April 2012, Issue #46
(Domaine Comte Armand/Clos des Epeneaux Pommard "Clos des Epeneaux" 1er 1er Cru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, The 2009 Red Burgundies from Bottle (Apr 2012)
(Comte Armand Pommard Clos Des Epeneaux 1er Cru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Allen Meadows
Burghound, May 2011, Issue #42
(Domaine Comte Armand/Clos des Epeneaux Pommard "Clos des Epeneaux" 1er 1er Cru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, The 2009 Red Burgundies (May 2011)
(Denis Bachelet Pommard Clos Des Epeneaux – 1er Cru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/10/2011)
(Dom Comte Armand, Clos des Épeneaux Premier Cru Pommard Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, January/February 2011, IWC Issue #154
(Domaine des Epeneaux/Comte Armand Pommard Clos des Epeneaux) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy and The World of Fine Wine and Burghound and Vinous and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Comte Armand Producer websitePinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBurgundy Les vins de Bourgogne (Bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne) (and in English)
Burgundy - The province of eastern France, famous for its red wines produced from Pinot Noir and its whites produced from Chardonnay. (Small of amounts of Gamay and Aligoté are still grown, although these have to be labeled differently.) The most famous part of the region is known as the Cote d'Or (the Golden Slope). It is divided into the Cote de Beaune, south of the town of Beaune (famous principally for its whites), and the Cote de Nuits, North of Beaune (home of the most famous reds). In addition, the Cote Chalonnaise and the Maconnais are important wine growing regions, although historically a clear level (or more) below the Cote d'Or. Also included by some are the regions of Chablis and Auxerrois, farther north.
Burgundy Report | Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne - na stejné téma od Heleny Baker
# 2013 Vintage Notes:
* "2013 is a vintage that 20 years ago would have been a disaster." - Will Lyons
* "low yields and highly variable reds, much better whites." - Bill Nanson
* "Virtually all wines were chaptalised, with a bit of sugar added before fermentation to increase the final alcohol level." - Jancis Robinson
# 2014 Vintage Notes:
"We have not had such splendid harvest weather for many years. This will ensure high quality (fragrant, classy and succulent are words already being used) across the board, up and down the hierarchy and well as consistently from south to north geographically apart from those vineyards ravaged by the hail at the end of June." - Clive Coates
# 2015 Vintage Notes:
"Low yields and warm weather allowed for ample ripeness, small berries and an early harvest. Quality is looking extremely fine, with some people whispering comparisons with the outstanding 2005 vintage. Acid levels in individual wines may be crucial." - Jancis Robinson
# 2017 Vintage Notes:
"Chablis suffered greatly from frost in 2017, resulting in very reduced volumes. As ever, the irony seems to be that what remains is very good quality, as it is in the Côte d’Or. Cooler nights across the region have resulted in higher-than-usual acidity, with good conditions throughout the harvest season allowing for ripe, healthy fruit." - Jancis Robinson
# 2018 Vintage Notes:
"The most successful region for red Burgundy in 2018 was the Côte de Beaune. The weather was ideal in this area, with just enough sunlight and rain to produce perfectly balanced wines naturally." - Vinfolio
Côte de Beaune
Côte de Beaune (Bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne)
Vineyard maps on weinlagen.infoPommard 1er Cru Maps of vineyards on weinlagen.info |
|
