A highlight in this phase of Bouley's career is the 2008 Pommard 1er Cru Les Fremiers, a deep and fleshy wine that exhibits aromas of sweet berries, orange rind, raw cocoa, rich soil tones and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, with its bright spine of acidity cloaked in vibrant fruit, it's seamless and complete, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Thomas feels that he lost a touch of aromatic precision due to the impact of used barrels that he hadn't cleaned as rigorously as he does today, but it's still a superb effort. In 2008, he hedged his vines very late in the growing season and began using less sulfur dioxide at cuvaison.