There are two barrels of the 2019 Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens, and Glantenay opted to destem the fruit from the bottom of the vineyard—which touches Rugiens Bas—while retaining some 30% whole bunches from the higher part. Unwinding in the glass with notes of peonies, wild berries, orange rind and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and elegantly muscular, with bright acids and powdery tannins.

Aromas of blackberries, cassis, rich spices, loamy soil and dark chocolate introduce Glantenay's 2018 Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens, a medium to full-bodied, ample and gourmand wine that's ripe but succulent, with a fleshy core of fruit and velvety structuring tannins, concluding with a long, sapid finish.

Aromas of red plums, blood orange, dark chocolate and rich soil tones introduce the 2017 Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens, a medium to full-bodied, ample and broad-shouldered wine that was more primary than the other wines in the cellar, showing good concentration and framed by a chewy but fine-grained structure. This will be one of the last wines in the range to be bottled.

The 2016 Pommard 1er Cru les Rugiens contains 30% whole-bunch fruit this year, less than the Volnay Caillerets. It is much more backward, reticent on the nose by comparison, tightly wound with attractive undergrowth scents interwoven into the dusky black fruit. It gradually opens but never pulls out the throttle. The palate is very well balanced with a fleshy, silky-textured opening. The stem addition is just right—lending freshness and yet never dominating the flavors, while the finish is very focused with a tang of soy on the aftertaste that urges you to return and take another sip. Excellent. This is a Pommard that should mature well over the next decade and drink over two.