Volnay, Champans, 1er Cru, 2022
A little more closed and embryonic than the other wines, but some gentle aeration soon coaxes out that generous, all-consuming Champans character. Expansive, fulsome flavours of sun-ripened strawberries with a hint of sweet juicy blood orange. Enveloping, smooth and gregarious. A big vineyard in the middle of prime Premier Cru Volnay territory on the south side of the village below Taillepieds, 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.
critic reviews
The 2022 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru has a pixelated bouquet with that mélange of red and black fruit that I noticed before. It's perfumed with hints of potpourri and lovely sous-bois/mossy scents in the background. The palate is medium-bodied, with a little crunch on the entry. It's a more structured Champans than I am accustomed to; perhaps the tannins are a bit firmer and less silky in texture at the moment. This will need more time to knit together than d'Angerville's other cuvées.
The 2022 Volnay 1er Cru Champans offers up aromas of dark berries, licorice, grilled squab, spices and vine smoke, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and layered palate with a sweet core of fruit framed by powdery tannins that assert themselves on the discreetly carnal finish.