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 1er Cru Les Champans was showing especially well, bursting with expressive aromas of rose petal, ripe wild berries, blood orange rind and dark chocolate. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and textural, with a layered core of concentrated fruit, fine structuring tannins and a long finish. The suppleness of the vintage has tempered Champans' tendency to structural muscularity but not its fleshy fruit, making for a delightful gourmand wine.
The 2017 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru is tasted from two barrels. It demonstrates wonderful grace and precision with mineral-infused cranberry and wild strawberry fruit. There is a sense of vitality and sophistication here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin. The oak is beautifully integrated, notes of orange rind and even just a subtle touch of honey towards the relatively powerful and sustained finish that just feels audacious. Wonderful.