DOMAINE HENRI MAGNIEN Estournelles St-Jacques 1er cru, Gevrey-Chambertin

Just after Patrick Landanger purchased Pousse dOr in 1997 he sold the Santenay Les Gravières but acquired a massive 3 hectares of Corton, Clos du Roi. Half of this is leased out to Louis Latour who exploited all 3 hectares previously. Aged in French oak barrel (30% new) for 18 months with minimal sulphur addition and bottles, unfined and unfiltered, this is modern corton; relatively approachable in its youth but can be cellared long term too.

Comte Armand is one of the leading and best estates in Pommard. This wine rivals Bordeaux in terms of intensity and concentration. To many it will always have an underlying elegance and class.

Thomas Bouley is very much the insiders secret, more famous with his fellow vignerons than with collectors chasing the next 'superstar' seen on social media. That Thomas resists putting his name on the front label of his wines (preferring to keep his father's) is typical of his humble and low key approach. Based in Volnay may also add to his relative anonymity, however we suspect this is changing rapidly as word gets out of just how spectacular his wines are, and of the continual improvement seen since he began working with his father in the early 2000's. Meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and winery are notable here, and key to why Thomas is so highly regarded by his peers. Yields are moderate, and in the cellar whole cluster ferments are used more with his clay rich sites (Pommard Fremiers, Volnay Clos des Chenes), while those with thin white soils (Pommard Rugiens-Hauts, Volnay Caillerets) are largely destemmed. New oak use is minimal, and each wine spend two winters on fine lees before bottling.