Volnay, Champans, 1er Cru, 2024
Slightly more savoury aromatically than the 1er Cru, with wild hedgerow fruit and a gently sauvage note. The palate shows the classical Champans glide: sweet, sappy fruit wrapped around precise, elegant tannins. More expressive on the finish than the blended 1er Cru, combining succulence with inner tension. A beautifully judged combination of polish and energy. 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 2024 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru is one of the few Premier Crus to have survived the vintage. It has a marvellous bouquet with well-defined vivacious brambly red berry fruit laced with sous-bois and light oyster shell aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a "fluid" Champans whereby the structure is only apparent on the finish. It's tight-knit at the moment but should flesh out after racking and bottling. Enjoy this over the next decade.