Volnay, Clos des Ducs, 1er Cru, 2017
Always the most coiled and brooding of the estate’s Volnays. A wine of stature and power. Intense, deep-lying flavours of dark fruit, earth and minerals. Very seductive in texture. There is the class and gloss this cuvée has been showing these last few years yet it retains that typically profound Clos des Ducs quality. Velvety with a toned muscle and drive. Highly sophisticated but it will need time to unravel. The 52 ‘ouvrees’ or 2.15 hectares that this great Clos vineyard spans, measures exactly the same as it did in the early part of the 16th century; its earliest recorded mention. The poor soils and steep, well drained slope of this limestone and Marne vineyard tilts towards the south and south-east. The wines typically boast contrasting elegance and structure. Complex and harmonious, they have a great ageing capacity.
critic reviews
The 2017 Volnay Clos des Ducs 1er Cru is the famous crown jewel monopole of the domaine, ostensibly the rear garden with its own spring. Initially it is showing some reduction on the nose, although it dissipates with aeration. It is certainly reticent at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry. It provides that arching structure that defines this vineyard and gives it its longevity, yet paradoxically the mouth sensation is supple and smooth, with just a touch of spice tingling on the finish. Noble, and aristocratic - just how a Clos des Ducs ought to be.