Two Epic, Ageworthy Wines from the Winemaker that Burghound Has In His Personal Cellar

Buy As Much of These as You Can, and Hide Them Away - You Will Thank Me Some Day
91-93 and 91-94 Points for Two Classic, Stunning Pommards

"I have said this before but it bears repeating: Philippe Billard runs what is one of the most underrated domaines in the entire Côte de Beaune. The wines are old school but not especially rustic or austere and they are unapologetically built for long-term aging. I am often asked exactly which domaines do I put in my personal cellar; well, Billard is one of them."  Allen Meadows AKA Burghound

2014 Red Burgundy is shaping up to be one of my favorite vintages of the past 10 years. I think in many cases for reds, I prefer it today to the 2010s. 2014 could be called "2010 light" in a way. They both share many of the same characteristics. Fresh, terroir transparent and structured with deep crunchy fruit. Some of the finest 14s I tasted were from the brilliant Phillipe Billard of the uncompromising old school estate of Billard Gonnet in Pommard. I adore these wines and 2014 is my favorite vintage of these since I started working with the 2010's. He has finally released them and when I tasted them in barrel in March of earlier this year I was totally blown away. The freshness, purity, structure and noticeable difference between the differing terroirs was as striking as ever. There was also an unreal fruit crunch to Phillipe's 2014s that was utterly compelling. These wines are unabashedly built to age and they are in a way the ultimate insider's wines. Older mature Billard-Gonnet can be shockingly good, but one has to wait. I rank a 78 1er Cru Pommard Clos du Verger as one of the single greatest wine drinking experiences of my life. I have more of his wines in my cellar than any other Red Burgundy producer as I adore these wines and want to grow old with them. Plus in 20 years I will walk into any tasting with huge sleeper wines that will be the WOTN. These are the best aging values in all of Burgundy at the prices I'm selling them at. It does bear repeating but Allen Meadows says it best about the wines of Phillipe Billard, which is below . . .

"I have said this before but it bears repeating: Philippe Billard runs what is one of the most underrated domaines in the entire Côte de Beaune. The wines are old school but not especially rustic or austere and they are unapologetically built for long-term aging. I am often asked exactly which domaines do I put in my personal cellar; well, Billard is one of them." Allen Meadows AKA Burghound

Today I have two of mine and Burghound's personal highlights of the 2014 collection of Billard Gonnet. Both of these are some of the best cellar values I've offered this year. The 2014 Pommard 1er Cru Chapponnieres "Vieilles Vignes" can be had for $$.$$ a bottle on a 4-pack. This 1er Cru has four owners but I've only tasted Phillipe's version. For me, next to Rugiens, this is the longest aging 1er Cru in the stable. From 75+ year old vines this wine is so distinctive. It has a nose of what one can only describe as tweed coat, red fruits, animal, mineral and an intense feral/forest factor. It is super serious and deep. The palate is powerful Pommard at its finest with amazing and intense high acids, powerful dense fruit and minerality, almost chewy, and power like you cannot imagine. A Tolkien like death grip of minerality and fruit saturate your palate and it is not to be believed. Just beautiful and bracingly young but what a future. I wanna grow old with this wine. Burghound gave it a 91-93 and his review is below. I agree with his window of 2026+. The + can go to 2055 I'd say.

"A ripe yet airy and dense nose presents various dark berry aromas along with plenty of earth, spice, violet and sauvage hints. There is a lovely texture to the concentrated and quite serious medium weight flavors that exhibit a subtle stony character before culminating in a dusty and quite firmly structured finale. I very much like the depth, length and balance but I stress again that Billard builds his wines to age and this will be no exception." 
91-93 from 2026+ 
Allen Meadows AKA Burghound

Up next is what is essentially Billard Gonnet's Grand Cru, even though it is 1er Cru, the 2014 Billard Gonnet Pommard 1er Cru "Rugiens Bas" for $$.$$ a bottle on a 4-pack. This is another epic wine that is built to age. Oh and this is epic. The density, the amazing minerality, the sweetness and almost treacly and floral quality of the fruit is unreal. Loads of horsehair/forest floor on the nose. Full-bodied and just so unbelievably vinous and delectable at the same time. It really is alive. It takes over your mouth. It also is explosive and juicy from the low yields and tiny berry fruit quality. Needless to say this is built to age. This is the best Rugiens since the epic 2010 here. This is very limited as the crop was down significantly due to hail. The window here is 2029+, and the +, for me goes to 2060. Burghound gave this a 91-94. His review is below.

"A highly reserved nose only grudgingly flashes its cool and admirably pure mélange of dark currants, floral, spice and discreet leather hints. There is fine richness but also excellent delineation to the stony, focused and powerful flavors that are very firmly structured on the gorgeously long and impeccably well-balanced finale. This is absolutely gorgeous but once again, if you're not prepared to cellar it for at least 7 to 8 years it's pointless to buy this." 
91-94 
Allen Meadows AKA Burghound