Pinot Noir Pommard, Vincent Dancer 'Les Perrières'

Vincent Dancer grew up in Alsace, where he inherited a love of wine and photography from his father. After studying engineering, his father suggested that Vincent spend some time in Burgundy, where his family owned some vines that were being rented out to cousins. Dancer was immediately hooked and decided to settle in Chassagne-Montrachet and make wine from the 5.5 hectares of well-situated vineyards. The winery is small even by the standards of Burgundy, and despite Dancer’s reclusive nature, the wines are well known to a small circle of restaurateurs and wine-lovers who reliably take their miniscule allocation year after year.

Driving south on the D974, Les Perrières is the first Pommard vineyard on your right after you leave Beaune. It sits under the Épenots and Clos des Epeneaux 1er Crus and Dancer farms just under one hectare, planted in 2012. Dancer points out that Pommard naturally gives austere structure and so here he works with very low yields and minimal extraction to achieve the texture and prettiness you rarely see in this village. Expect a pretty and perfumed red Burgundy—the dark characters on the nose scream Pommard, yet the floral, red-fruited and fine-boned palate reminds of a quality Chambolle! Lovely stuff and again, a terrific bargain.