As Burgundy’s once-sky-high prices cool, Château de Pommard is betting that the future lies in affordability. The historic estate, home to Burgundy’s largest monopole vineyard, the Clos Marey-Monge, has launched a new cuvée aimed squarely at budget-conscious drinkers and younger consumers who have been turning away from wine.
The wine, Pommard by Chateau Pommard 2023, marks one of the estate’s most deliberate efforts yet to align with post-inflation realities. As consumers become more budget conscious, the shift has prompted producers to reintroduce Burgundy to a larger audience through more approachable offerings.
“We’re in a time where inflation and budgets make things difficult — not just for young people, but for everyone,” said Rémi Marchand, global export director at Château de Pommard, in an interview with Vino Joy News. “The objective is to give everyone a chance to access our wines.”
Priced at about €50 in France in retail shop, the new release is significantly more affordable than most of the estate’s portfolio. Marchand said the team wanted a wine that removes the psychological burden of drinking high-priced Burgundy. “We don’t want young people to feel buying a bottle is a big investment,” he said. “If you put pressure on the wine you’re about to drink because it’s too expensive, that’s not the right way to enjoy wine.”
Despite its pricing, the wine is sourced entirely from the estate’s own organic and biodynamic vineyards, underscoring Marchand’s belief that every plot in the Clos Marey-Monge has its own character. Stylistically, the cuvée departs from the house’s more powerful Monopole expression, aiming instead for finesse and delicacy. It uses minimal new oak, relies mostly on older barrels, and undergoes about 18 months of ageing in a mix of oak and stainless steel to preserve fruit and balance.
“We like to show this wine next to our Clos Marey-Monge Monopole”, Marchand said. “The feedback is always, ‘Wow, these are two very different wines with very different experiences, while coming from the same vineyard.’”
The wine is expected to debut globally later this year, with Hong Kong listed as one of the launch markets.
A More Selective Generation
Marchand said the new release also reflects how younger consumers are drinking today: less frequently, more selectively and with heightened attention to health. He disagrees with the idea that the rise of non-alcoholic beverages signals the end of wine for younger generations.
“They’re just selecting better,” he said. “Young people today won’t drink the cheapest thing like we might have at their age. It’s actually a good sign — they care about health and what they drink.”
Château de Pommard has responded by converting its vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming, aiming for clean, residue-free fruit even in alcoholic wines. Marchand also noted that many non-alcoholic wines on the market are not as healthy as assumed, as they often contain higher levels of sugar.
Vintage 2025: Low Yields, High Concentration
Marchand described the 2025 Burgundy vintage as marked by excellent ripeness, small and concentrated berries and volatile weather. A cool spring was followed by an exceptionally hot summer, punctuated by storms. Rain in August helped boost juice levels in some sites but threatened fruit health in others.
“We harvested quite early after a few days of rain to make sure we had healthy grapes,” he said. The estate also faced more than a week of extreme heat, a pattern Marchand said is becoming more frequent in Burgundy. He believes the estate’s varied soils help maintain elegance and acidity in the wines despite warmer conditions.
Asia Drives Growth
Market performance this year was largely flat compared with 2024— “already an achievement,” Marchand noted, given global economic pressures and new U.S. tariffs affecting all Burgundy producers. The estate is slowly opening new markets such as Quebec while maintaining strong positions in its core bases.
Asia continues to account for about 60% of exports, with Thailand showing particularly strong momentum this year. Marchand said enthusiasm at a recent wine fair in Bangkok underscored that wine remains far from “finished,” despite challenges across global markets.
Allocation System Prioritises Loyal Buyers
Château de Pommard has introduced a new allocation system this year to ensure long-term partners and private clients receive priority access to limited wines.
“We want the people who have been with us for a long time to access the wine first,” Marchand said. The system relies on close communication with distributors to understand which wines perform well and avoid sudden shortages — particularly problematic for restaurants listing the wines.
Selling wine is “simply harder now,” he said, noting that many distributors carry multiple competing appellations. But he believes investing time and passion still works. The estate’s strategy is to reinforce existing markets while cautiously opening a few new ones.
“It’s about stability,” Marchand said. “Strengthening the relationships we already have, and expanding little by little — not going everywhere all at once.”
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