Domaine Clos de la Chapelle, Pommard 1er Cru Les Grands Epenots, 2023

Many Burgundy lovers consider Les Grands Epenots the finest terroir in all of Pommard, so coveted that Pommard producers petitioned INAO for Grand Cru status, formally submitted in 2013 (with preparation begun in 2011), covering Epenots along with Rugiens. Mark O'Connell's Clos de la Chapelle, founded in 2011 by the American expat in Volnay, works a parcel of these prized vines on rich clay-limestone soils sitting just below the Grand Crus road, brushing up against Beaune. This is Pommard at its most ambitious: generous, weighty, structured by firm tannins and lifted by vibrant acidity. The 2023 shows the appellation's hallmark concentration without sacrificing balance, building toward a finish that promises everything good things come to those who wait can promise. Lay it down and check back in a decade.