2012 Domaine Lucien Boillot & Fils, Pommard “Les Croix Noires” Premier Cru Red Burgundy, France.
Longtime Kermit Lynch staple Burgundy producer Lucien Boillot is considered a safe bet and a solid performer in terms of quality and old school character driven wines, but this 2012 is a game changer for the domaine. These wines are much more intriguing and compelling than I’ve ever experienced from Boillot, even though the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 wines are were well crafted, they are not near the level of the 2012 vintage, which of course is what everyone is talking about since it was a year of tiny yields and excellent fruit density. What was surprising to me, especially with Boillot, was the generous nature and beauty the 2012 wines show already, this Pommard was opened, with no decanting and poured, and it revealed gorgeous perfume, heady black and red fruits, polished tannins and a lengthy finish, all within seconds of popping the cork, that is unbelievably rare for these wines, particularly a Pommard! Boillot’s home is Gevrey-Chambertin, but I think his most famous wines come from the Cote be Beaune, Volnay and Pommard, though they do a few Gevrey offerings, though nice, they are not as unique as the southern bottling, in my opinion, and I usually go for their Volnay in normal vintages, though as it looks with the 2012’s, the Pommards are the ones to grab if you see them, I think they are looking like rewarding investments for the cellar. The 2012 Boillot Pommard Premier Cru Les Criox Noires is a classy and firm Pinot Noir with an exotic air and marvelous intensity with a nose of violets, blueberry, graphite and truffle leading to a rich and concentrated palate of wild plum, black cherry and raspberry fruits, clove and celery spice, chalky stones, a bit of toasty wood, brabble/briar, red peach flesh and minty herbs, tea, lavender and anise. This is for sure a vigorous Pommard with lively acidity and forceful extract, plus it delivers superb detail and transparency with a touch of rustic nature, after a bit of air, a heightened degree of tannin started to rise and close things down, but not unpleasantly, though you can feel that this will be much more complete and complex in a few years time and age well into the next decade, best from 2018 to 2026. This is a really extra delicious Burgundy from Boillot, it far exceeds my expectations and it should get lots better in the cellar, lucky for those few that will get it, this is a fine and impressive set of 2012 wines from Boillot, bravo.
($100 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive
