Volnay, Clos des Ducs, 1er Cru, 2004

Clos des Ducs Trescases: Bright medium red. Distinctly herbal, peppery nose, conveying a note of leathery reduction but with its fruit element stunted. Fairly supple on entry, then quite dry and herbal in the mid-palate; comes across as a bit hollow and lacking in fruit sweetness and verve. Finishes dry and herbal, with marginally ripe tannins cutting off what fruit there is. This is not going anywhere good. Clos des Ducs Guala: Similar healthy red to the Trescases bottle, which was the commercial release of the 2004. Precise but reticent aromas of red fruits, leather and herbs. Quite peppery and herbal in the mouth, like the Trescases version, but at the same time silkier in texture and sweeter. As it shows more mid-palate presence, the tannins come off as less dry and intrusive. The herbal finish shows decent length, but this wine is ultimately a bit simple for Clos des Ducs. (13.4% alcohol; September 29 harvest; 37 h/h; 3.63 pH; Angerville actually showed two samples of this wine, the first bottled with Trescases corks, which the domain has historically used for its wines for decades and continues to use today, and the second from an experimental lot of 60 bottles sealed with silicone corks, which Angerville presented as Clos des Ducs Guala)