Château l'Eglise-Clinet, Pomerol, Bordeaux 2023 vs Pommard Premier Cru, Les Chaponnières, Domaine Launay-Horiot 2021

Pommard Premier Cru, Les Chaponnières, Domaine Launay-Horiot 2021

Domaine Launay-Horiot is consistent and over the past few vintages has culminated in something once again truly remarkable in 2021. This wine walks the fine line between classic Pommard structure and graceful delicacy. With a light-to-medium frame, it opens on brambly red fruit and earthy loam, wrapped in a peppery spice that lingers. The palate is honest and straightforward; sour cherry leads the way, followed by cereal and subtle earth notes, finishing with a gourmand flourish. Likened to Armand Rousseau by Neal Martin, Xavier Horiot fought an 11 year court battle with family members to keep the estate and reignite the work left by his beloved grandfather. In only his 7th vintage, this quietly spoken former fighter pilot only expresses his gratefulness for being able to farm his grandfather’s land.