2018 Domaine Jean-Marc Pavelot La Dominode Premier Cru, Savigny-les-Beaune

40% of these vines are 80+ years of age.

The 2018 Savigny-lès-Beaune La Dominode 1er Cru, picked on September 1 at 13.5% potential alcohol, is tightly coiled and more backward than the Aux Gravins, ergo I expect that this will require more bottle age. There are enticing blackberry and wild strawberry fruit aromas here, but they need time. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins and a superb line of acidity that imparts a sense of energy from the start to the saline finish, which is tangy and vivacious. This is everything you really need in a La Dominode

92-94 points Neal Martin vinous.com Jan 2020

The richest and inkiest of Hugues Pavelot's highly impressive array of Savigny Premiers Crus in 2018, this is also the firmest and most backward, reflecting its north-easterly aspect. With 30% each of whole bunches and new wood, it's a layered, structured wine with assertive grip, dark berry fruit and the concentration to age further in bottle. Drinking Window 2025 – 2032

94 points Tim Atkin decanter.com Oct 2018

A markedly spicy nose consists of dark currant, violet and earth nuances where a note of tea can be discerned. There is a lovely inner mouth perfume to the refined, velvety and caressing yet quite serious and tautly muscular flavors that also flash plenty of minerality on the powerful finish that exhibits excellent length.

91-94 points Allen Meadows burghound.com Apr 2020 Drink: 2033+

Domaine Jean Marc Pavelot La Dominode Premier Cru is one of the great expressions of Savigny lès Beaune and a wine that consistently punches well above its weight. La Dominode sits on the Beaune side of the appellation, with excellent exposure and well drained limestone and clay soils. This position gives the wine a little more depth and structure than many Savigny sites, while still retaining the village’s hallmark elegance and freshness.

Domaine Jean Marc Pavelot is widely regarded as the reference producer for Savigny lès Beaune. The estate has deep roots in the village, and the winemaking philosophy is resolutely traditional. Vineyard work is meticulous, yields are kept low, and the cellar approach is patient and restrained. Extraction is gentle, oak is used sparingly, and the focus is always on clarity of site rather than power or gloss.

La Dominode is a Premier Cru that rewards time in the glass. Aromatically, it opens with red cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry, followed by rose petal and dried violet. As it breathes, more savoury complexity appears. Forest floor, tea leaf, gentle spice and a subtle mineral note that anchors the wine firmly in Burgundy.

On the palate, the wine is finely structured and beautifully balanced. Bright red fruit leads, supported by fresh, integrated acidity that gives lift and length. The tannins are fine grained and persistent, providing shape without weight. There is a quiet savoury mid palate, hints of dried herbs and earth adding depth. Oak is discreet and well absorbed, contributing texture rather than flavour. The finish is long, composed and elegant, lingering with red fruit, spice and earthy nuance.

This is a Pinot Noir that excels at the table. Roast chicken, duck, pork, mushroom dishes or lighter game all pair beautifully. While approachable with decanting in its youth, Domaine Jean Marc Pavelot La Dominode Premier Cru truly comes into its own with time, evolving over ten to fifteen years into something more layered and savoury while retaining its freshness and poise.

Domaine Jean Marc Pavelot La Dominode Premier Cru is a reminder of why Savigny lès Beaune remains one of Burgundy’s most rewarding appellations. Elegant, soulful and deeply expressive, it is Burgundy for those who value nuance, balance and quiet confidence.