Two red Burgundies from one historic house: a numbered-bottle Pommard from 2018 and an elegant Hautes-Côtes de Nuits from 2019. Here’s the story behind each wine, how they taste and what to eat with them.
Why Burgundy Pinot Noir is worth knowing
Burgundy is where Pinot Noir is at its most expressive. The heart of the region is the Côte d’Or, a narrow, east-facing limestone slope running south from Dijon for about 50 km. It splits into two halves:
- The Côte de Nuits in the north: home of Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges, and of structured, perfumed reds.
- The Côte de Beaune in the south: famous for white wines like Meursault, but also for great red villages such as Pommard and Volnay.
In Burgundy, place matters more than anything. The same grape, grown a few hundred metres apart, gives very different wines. Our two bottles show this perfectly: one from the hills above the Côte de Nuits, one from the heart of the Côte de Beaune.
Meet the maker: Maison François Martenot
The house traces its roots to an estate in Savigny-lès-Beaune founded in 1859. In July 1922, Lucien Gustave Martenot bought it and built it into a Burgundy wine house, later run by his daughter Charlotte. Since 2015 it has belonged to the Helfrich family. Today Maison François Martenot farms around 270 hectares across 13 estates, all certified HVE 3 (France’s highest environmental standard) since 2021. Its holdings include Premier and Grand Cru vineyards such as Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots and Corton-Charlemagne, and the house is a regular buyer at the famous Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction.
Wine 1: Pommard Les Pruniers 2018
The place
Pommard is a single village just south of Beaune that makes only red wine, from Pinot Noir. Its clay-limestone soils, rich in iron and well drained by rocky debris, give the most powerful and structured reds of the Côte de Beaune: deeper and firmer than their silky neighbour, Volnay. Victor Hugo was famously fond of Pommard. François Martenot’s Les Pruniers is part of the house’s Collection range, and every bottle is individually numbered on the label.
The vintage
2018 was warm and sunny. Plentiful spring rain meant the vines handled the dry summer comfortably, and cool nights kept the grapes fresh. Decanter rates 2018 Côte d’Or reds 4.5/5: ripe, powerful and built to age. Seven years on, this Pommard has softened beautifully.
Tasting notes
- Colour: Deep, bright ruby.
- Nose: Black cherry, plum and kirsch, with spice, forest floor and a savoury, leathery edge from bottle age.
- Palate: Full for a Pinot Noir, round and complete, with fresh acidity and velvety tannins leading to a long, savoury finish.
Food pairing
Pommard loves richer food: roast or grilled beef, lamb, duck breast, nyama choma, game, mushroom risotto or a slow-cooked beef stew. For a cheese board, try Comté or Époisses.
Shop Pommard Les Pruniers 2018 →
Wine 2: Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Pré Royal” 2019
The place
The Hautes-Côtes de Nuits are the hills just behind the famous Côte de Nuits villages. The vines grow higher, at 300–400 metres, on limestone with some marl and clay. The extra altitude keeps the grapes cool, which gives bright fruit and fresh acidity. In warm years, Burgundy specialists point to the Hautes-Côtes as a source of some of the region’s best-value reds.
How it’s made
The grapes are fermented traditionally over about three weeks, starting with a cold soak at around 8°C to draw out colour and fruit. The wine is then aged for 8–12 months, partly in oak barrels (20% new), for a gentle touch of spice.
The vintage
2019 was a small, high-quality year: long, dry, sunny days and cool nights gave concentrated grapes. Decanter also rates 2019 Côte d’Or reds 4.5/5, praising their elegance and smooth tannins.
Tasting notes
- Colour: Ruby red.
- Nose: Raspberry, cherry and blackcurrant, with liquorice and roasted coffee.
- Palate: Good body, round tannins and a firm, precise structure; fresh acidity carries it to a clean, elegant finish.
Food pairing
Very versatile: roast chicken, duck (it’s lovely with duck à l’orange), lamb chops, grilled meats and lightly spiced dishes. Camembert and Reblochon work beautifully.
Shop Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Pré Royal 2019 →
Serving Burgundy in Nairobi
- Temperature: Burgundy reds taste best slightly cool, at 14–17°C. In Nairobi, put the bottle in the fridge for 20–30 minutes before opening.
- Glassware: A wide, balloon-shaped Burgundy glass lets the aromas open up.
- Decanting: Give the Pommard 30 minutes in a decanter. The Hautes-Côtes is ready to pour.
- When to drink: Both are at their best now. The Pommard can keep for a few more years if stored lying down somewhere cool and dark.
Mashujaa Day offer: 40% off both wines
To celebrate Mashujaa Day on Tuesday 20 October, both wines are 40% off from Friday 16 to Wednesday 21 October:
- Pommard Les Pruniers 2018:
KES 17,495KES 10,497 - Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Pré Royal 2019:
KES 7,095KES 4,257
Only 60 bottles of each are available at this price. Order online for same-day Nairobi delivery on orders placed before 2pm, ship anywhere in Kenya, or visit us at 291 Loresho Ridge, next to Tribal Gallery, and enjoy a glass on our terrace. Questions? WhatsApp us on 0718 003 302.