Domaine Parent
Domaine Parent
It was delightful to see Anne Parent again, who is in charge of her family’s Pommard-based Domaine Parent with her sister Catherine.
The domaine was established in 1787, and Thomas Jefferson, the future president of the United States, had visited and found the wine quite pleasing.
As is typical, the visit began in the barrel room where hundreds of thousands of dollars of delicious wine was maturing in a variety of barrels with different ages and toasting levels. Typically, only the 1st cru wines located in the best sites (so they receive the most sun) receive the highest percentage of new French oak. Though it was very interesting to note that as we tasted the wines, the Grand Cru wines with 100% new French oak did not taste remotely oaky. The reason is because the wine had so much ripe fruit and was so concentrated it was very well integrated.
I was a bit surprised to see a change in the cellar since my visit of last year. In a grand place of honor, was the barrel with the name “Louis” – this signified the name of Anne’s first grandson. Yet it was quickly revealed that “Louis” was now being racked. He’s a vary small child now, so it will be a while until he could taste his own cuvee. Yet if you saw the pictures Anne occasionally posts on Facebook, he’s already quite experienced at harvest (especially when it comes to tasting the grapes).
Anne’s tastings are always very exciting because of a few reasons. One, she is very generous with her grand cru and 1st cru wines, especially given the small vintages of late. Yet she is a natural storyteller, and loves explaining the twists and turns of life that resulted in the place of respect she has today in the community. She was one of the first to turn the vineyards organic and biodynamic, for one thing. The reason is because when she first started, she did not have an enology or viticulture education. Yet she quickly realized that the chemical sales people did not know what they were talking about, and did not even ask about the nutritional requirements of the vine.
Domaine Parent
So at that point she took it upon herself to learn all she could about vine nutrition and the result can be found in the health of the grapes. It is said wine is made in the vineyard, and this is very much the case at this domaine.
Some of the best wine of the week was tasted at this table, including Grand Cru Corton (white and red) and various 1st cru Pommard. Though the Grand Cru and 1st Cru wines are pricey, Domaine Parent makes some lovely, fresh, and elegant red and white Bourgogne wines that I can find at my local shop in New York.
Jeanne-Marie De Champs of Domaine Et Saveurs imports these wines to the United States.
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