Pommard Les Rugiens is often described as the Premier Cru with Grand Cru stuffing, and Hubert de Montille made some of its most admired bottles. The 1988 comes from a firm, structured vintage and has spent more than three decades softening into a savoury, mature Pommard.
About This Wine
The name Rugiens refers to the red colour of the soil, clay rich in iron oxide. The climat divides into Rugiens-Hauts and the lower-lying Rugiens-Bas, where the domaine is the largest grower with just over a hectare. Rugiens gives Pommard with more finesse than the village norm but plenty of depth and grip. 1988 was a structured, tannic vintage that needed long ageing, and this wine is now in its mature phase, with tertiary aromas taking over from fruit.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Dried cherry, baking spice, damp earth, leather, rose and dried herbs.
- Palate: Silky and savoury, with mature Pinot fruit, resolved tannin and a mineral core.
- Finish: Fine and lasting, with forest floor and a thread of red fruit.
Serving & Food
Pour carefully off its sediment shortly before dinner and serve at 15 to 16°C in a Burgundy glass. Drink now. Serve with jugged hare, roast pheasant or beef bourguignon.
How to Enjoy
Lovers of mature, traditional Côte de Beaune reds and older Burgundy tasting dinners.
Product Details
Producer: Domaine Hubert de Montille
Wine: Les Rugiens
Appellation: Pommard 1er Cru
Region: Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Vintage: 1988
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Bottle size: 750mL
About the Maison
The de Montille family has owned vines in Volnay since the 19th century, but by the time Hubert de Montille took charge in 1947, aged 17, the estate was down to about three hectares. Hubert built a career as a lawyer in Dijon and used it to fund the slow rebuilding of the domaine, one parcel at a time, mainly in Volnay and Pommard. He was among the early growers to bottle at the domaine when most Burgundy still went to négociants.
His wines were made to age: firm, fresh and never overripe. His son Etienne joined in 1990 and took over in the late 1990s, converting to organic and then biodynamic farming.