Domaine de Courcel Grand Clos des Épenots 1er Cru 2018

I was skeptical about the potential of de Courcel’s 2018 Pommard 1er Cru Grand Clos des Épenots, but from bottle it’s showing very well. Of course, it’s a rich, powerful beast of a wine that’s typical of the style favored by winemaker Yves Confuron; but despite its tannins’ sheer abundance, the ripeness of the vintage has tempered them into something almost resembling youthful charm. Offering up aromas of blackberries, cassis, rose petals, peonies and kirsch, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and muscular, with a ripe, ample core of fruit and an imposing chassis of powdery tannin that nevertheless doesn’t impose any back-end asperity. This should be unusually approachable young, and evolve along the lines of de Coucel’s successful 2003s. It’s labelled at a mere 13.5%, and perhaps that’s true. Drink date: 2025-2045. Score – 92+. (William Kelley, robertparker.com, Sept. 30, 2021)