La Pousse D'Or

La Pousse d'Or is a domain that honors its origins, focuses on what the terroir brings and practices meticulous winemaking.. All these elements come together in wines that satisfy and even exceed the exacting standards one would expect from a fine Burgundian wine estate. 

History

La Pousse d'Or is a well known Burgundy wine maker, especially with enthusiasts of Pinot Noir. This estate is located in the village of Volnay, right at the heart of the Côte de Beaune. Its history stretches back hundreds of years with roots (or vines) that dig deep into the terroir. There are some who claim that the impetus for the formation of the estate as a domaine came with the 16th century. 

The estate changed hands several times over the years; however, each owner upheld the tradition of crafting wines from splendid terroirs in Volnay and its neighboring villages. In 1997, businessman and Burgundy lover, Patrick Landanger, bought the estate. He invested much of his fortune in the estate's vineyards and in the cellar; his son Benoît has since joined him in this project. Together, they labor over the wines in the cellar and in the vineyards and push the wines of La Pousse d'Or toward bon goût, as past Burgundians did.

The Vineyards

La Pousse d'Or has roughly 18 hectares of vineyards, which is relatively large for Burgundy, where many plots are small and dispersed. The estate's heart is in Volnay, where it holds prime Premier Cru sites like "Clos de la Bousse d'Or," "Clos des 60 Ouvrées," and "En Caillerets." These are well-known names among Burgundy aficionados, as they produce some of the most refined and age-worthy Pinot Noirs in the region.

However, the domaine doesn’t stop there. It has vines in neighboring Pommard, Santenay, and Corton, including some Grand Cru land in Corton-Bressandes, as well. Each vineyard gets the same careful attention, and in almost every instance, the team does the work by hand—from pruning to picking. This approach to farming, which is almost the reverse of assembly-line viticulture as sometimes practiced in the New World, is crucial in Burgundy. Improve wine almost any way you can, and the result will still fall short of its potential unless you also farm it by hand in the vineyard.

The Terroir

At La Pousse d'Or, 'terroir' is given a lot of attention—and for good reason. It is, after all, a fundamental aspect of Burgundy and its wine culture. The word 'terroir' conveys much more than one might think when only considering the wines from this region. It means not only the different slopes and soils found in the vineyards Au-dessus de la Rue, [yet another excellently sited vineyard in Volnay], each with its own character that confers its own signature to the wines made from its grapes, but also the (near-) constant climate in Burgundy.

In Pommard, soils are a touch heavier and have more clay, which adds depth and power to the wines. The Corton vineyards lie high and have a mélange of marl and limestone—perfect growing conditions for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The vision here is to let each vineyard’s individuality and unique song come through in the wines, rather than trying to make everything sound the same.

The Grapes Used

La Pousse d’Or is a classic Burgundy estate, with Pinot Noir as its main grape. This is hardly exclusive, especially for a Burgundy domaine. The Pousse d'Or reds are almost all estate-bottled from some six Premier and Grand Cru vineyards in the Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits. This is also a family operation, with brothers Eric and Olivier serving as the chief winemakers, with their father, Jean-Pierre, who founded the estate in 1985.

A small amount of Chardonnay comes from the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru vineyard. This and the other vineyards of Burgundy produce whites that are as crisp and mineral-driven as those of the Oregon wineries. The Vignerons d'Alliance match the reds for elegance and precision.

Way of Winemaking

The mix of tradition and gentle modern tweaks makes the La Pousse d’Or wines. They start with good, hand-picked fruit. It is sorted and almost inspected to make sure no bad or mediocre grapes get near the wine. The fermentation takes place naturally and without fanfare, using the native yeasts from the vineyard. They employ a mix of stainless steel and open wooden vats for their reds.

Post-fermentation, the wines get their aging in barrels of French oak. Of these barrels, a third is new each year. The intent here is to add some complexity and structure, but not so much as to make the fruit or the vineyard's expression unrecognizable. The wines usually go to bottle without fining or filtration, which helps ensure that their character remains intact.

The estate is also attentive to sustainability. They employ organic methods in the vineyard, eschew synthetic chemicals, and promote biodiversity. The goal is to maintain the health of the land for the next generation, as well as the present crop.

3 Fun Facts

- Cellars from History: The cellars of the domaine date from the 16th century and are hollowed deep into the limestone. They maintain a steady cool temperature year-round, which is the ideal condition for wine to mature.

- Clos de la Bousse d'Or: This vineyard is a "monopole," meaning it is completely owned by La Pousse d'Or. In Burgundy, where most vineyards are divided among many owners, this is quite rare.

- Ancient Vines: Some of the estate’s vines are over 60 years old. Vines that are this age tend to produce an extremely modest crop—less than 2 tons per acre. However, those grapes are so concentrated and complex that the fruit of these old vines is a true estate hallmark.