Volnay, Champans, 1er Cru, 2018

More reserved than the Taillepieds when tasted out of barrel, though clearly juicier and broader in style. Energetic, robust red fruits abound, notes of strawberry, raspberry and loganberry. As mouth-filling and smooth textured as ever with perhaps a bit more mystery and hidden depth to it than usual. This is a big vineyard in the middle of prime Premier Cru Volnay territory on the south side of the village, below Taillepieds and well exposed to the south-east. The soil is redder here than higher up the slope. At the top of the vineyard the soil is very rocky but becomes deeper and more clay influenced towards the bottom of the slope, giving some of the most complete Volnays that, despite ageing very well, can be extremely rewarding in youth.