Charming and demonstrative, the 2019 Pommard 1er Cru Clos Micault bursts with aromas of orange rind, peonies and raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, ample and enveloping, its lively and perfumed. Planted in 1958, this was the first vineyard the Voillot family purchased back in 1870. This will offer a broad drinking window.

The 2018 Pommard 1er Cru Clos Micault is true to form once again, soaring from the glass in a blaze of peonies, orange rind, sweet berry fruit and plums. Medium to full-bodied, charming and perfumed, its fleshy core of fruit is framed by melting tannins and succulent acids.

The 2015 Pommard 1er Cru Clos Micault has a pretty and precise bouquet: black fruit, wild hedgerow - aromatics that feel "correct". The palate is medium-bodied with crisp and quite firm tannin, a little pinched at the moment and quite linear towards the finish. Hopefully it will gain a little more flesh on the finish by the time of bottling.

The 2013 Pommard Clos Micault had a touch of reduction on the nose, although there seems to be plenty of red berry fruit behind. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, tightly knit and foursquare and perhaps just missing a little length. Drink this over the next six to ten years.

From the domaine’s tiny 0.14-hectare parcel, the 2012 Pommard 1er Cru Clos Micault is tight and introspective on the nose with briary and damp moss aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of spice on the entry. It is not a complex Pommard for a premier cru but it is well-balanced and is endowed with a sorbet-like freshness on the pretty finish. Fine. Jean-Pierre Charlot spoke of the demoralising effect of the 2012 and 2013 vintages. There was a slight air of resignation about the friendly giant of Volnay. Watching helplessly as vast swathes of vineyard are destroyed in the blink of a teary eye by hail provokes the question: “Well, what is the point?” To put a number on that, his 35 parcels that together constitute around 10 hectares was approximately 60% down in 2012 and to be honest, I didn’t want to ask about 2013 since I did not want to pile on the pain. But I continue to hold Jean-Pierre in the highest regard – he is the quintessential Burgundy vigneron with an innate knowledge of winemaking that makes him one of the most respected, if not high-profile, in the region. His wines are a masterclass in under-statement, letting the terroir do all the talking via relatively low alcohol levels plus a prudent use of oak (mostly Damy) and sulfur. The magic happens when you allow his wines to age in bottle. Having had the privilege of vintages back to the 1960s, I can vouch that they have an unerring ability to mature with grace and style, which is not always obvious in their youth. His 2012s are well worth seeking out in their diminished quantities, wines that I would love to have in my cellar. Importer: Vintage 59, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 966-9218