Marquis d'Angerville

A truly great Burgundian domaine with an illustrious history that began in 1804, Domaine Marquis d'Angerville first made a name for itself in the early 1900s when Sem, Marquis d'Angerville, pioneered domaine-bottled Burgundy alongside his friend Henri Gouges. The estate was inherited by his son Jacques in 1952, who took the domaine to ever greater heights over an extraordinary and brilliant career spanning 52 vintages. In 2003 the current proprietaire, Guillaume, Marquis d'Angerville, took over after his father Jacques' tragic and premature passing.

This wonderful Volnay estate Domaine spans 15 ha in total, of which 12 are devoted to Volnay - the vast majority of which are Premiers Crus. The Domaine's vineyards are no more than 15 minutes' walk from each other, yet the resulting wines boast such different personalities. These are Burgundies that not only offer immense pleasure and drinkability, they also represent a veritable masterclass in the effect of terroir on wine. The jewel in the domaine's crown is, without question, the Clos des Ducs, Monopole. One of the great crus of the Cote de Beaune, the earliest records of Clos des Ducs, can be found in 1507. The size of the Clos then is exactly the same as it is today 2.15 ha or 52 ouvrees

Guillaume is meticulous and shows an unstinting commitment to producing the best wine he can whilst staying faithful to Volnay's special terroir. The vine growing and winemaking is based on the philosophy of respecting and working with nature. The Domaine's move to Bio-dynamic viticulture in 2006 is central to this, a process that began with the appointment the year before of the talented Francois Duvivier as regisseur, to oversee this conversion. Rigorous manual work is carried out in the vineyard, therefore, whilst the winemaking is as gentle and respectful to the wines as possible. These are polished Volnays of purity, precision and style, nothing is over-done or out of balance, extractions are soft and new oak is no more than it needs to be, a maximum of 20%. The characteristics of grape, vintage and terroir resonate brightly through each wine.

2017 Vintage

After the frosts of last year, we are delighted to report a full compliment of cuvées were made in 2017 chez d’Angerville - Clos des Angles and Meursault Santenots making welcome comebacks. Discussing how wine-growing challenges have changed over the decades, Guillaume commented on how grapes have been achieving so much more ripeness these days and how much earlier the harvests are. Since taking over in 2003 Guillaume has presided over the six earliest vintage’s in the Domaine’s long history, a telling statement of modern climactic conditions. Vintages like 2017, one of these six precocious harvests, are a month earlier than thirty years ago. It is a year that yielded ripe, balanced grapes (registering a very even 13 to 13.5 of potential alcohol) that Guillaume particularly noted were “incredibly clean and healthy,” adding “I like the tenderness of the vintage and the fact they have some momentum, they are not soft.” In our view these are superb wines that have great charm, fruit, delicacy and beautifully sensual textures. An absolutely ravishing and very Burgundian vintage here.

2018 Vintage

Guillaume d’Angerville describes 2018 as “uneventful”, meaning there were no particular stress points in what was a very benign, sunny, dry season. The health of the grapes was immaculate by harvest time, which began on 1st September and lasted five and a half days. Grapes were fully ripe, and everything was picked at under 14% potential alcohol. If there was one draw-back it was the warm conditions during vintage, meaning they had to cool the must down in tank for a few days before fermentation. The crop was relatively abundant, and this helped the grapes stay fresh, resulting in wines that are really juicy, sapid, and, in Guillaume’s words “fluid”. Élévage sur lie in barrel has also helped the wines tighten and freshen. Guillaume will wait to see how they develop further after a winter in barrel before deciding his bottling date. A high-quality vintage here; powerful and expressive wines that are seductively ample and full of fruit.

2019 Vintage

The 2019 season may have been warm and dry, but the wines certainly do not feel the product of such a season. Guillaume d’Angerville describes them as “elegant and pure, with no obvious solar aspect. They are lean and clean, the tannins are integrated and the acidity is high enough to balance the fruit. The fruit was really pure and healthy at harvest time, and the wines have kept this character all through élevage.” Flowering was prolonged and uneven, which meant a potentially small crop, exacerbated by a dry, hot and sunny summer. A little rain fell in August, enough at least to allow the vine to continue the ripening process. Resulting yields were 20–25% down on 2018. Harvest began on the 12th September, late by recent standards but still one day earlier than 1976. That is now nine vintages Guillaume has picked earlier than 1976 in his 17 year tenure. The key determinant of the picking date at the domaine was, as ever, finding the right compromise between sugar and phenolic maturity. The domaine always like to avoid making Pinots that have 14–15% alcohol. 2019’s unique combination of fruit, concentration and elegance make single vintage comparisons difficult for Guillaume, who considers it a combination of 2015 and 2017, or “perhaps 2009 could be a close enough vintage on its own,” expanding; “in any case I think it is a vintage that will last and has all the ingredients to be a great Pinot Noir vintage.”

2020 Vintage

Although the 2020 season was “benign in many ways” according to Guillaume d’Angerville “with healthy fruit and no sunburn” it was not without its challenges. Success here in 2020 seems to have been a question of holding nerve. The original plan was to begin harvesting on the 25th August, but as the month wore on this seemed too late. In the end Guillaume and François Duvivier took the decision to pick on the 18th – not an easy one to make given that they were one of the first to start, when, if anything, they are usually amongst the later pickers. However, they have been hugely rewarded for having the courage of their convictions. The crop was healthy and nothing was above 14 degrees of natural alcohol and acidities were good, but over and above the mere numbers, they have succeeded in producing a range of sheer brilliance, wines that give great pleasure whilst transmitting a sense of place. These results provide heartening proof that, in this new era of global warming, it is possible to produce fine, terroir-driven Burgundy of the highest quality. As much as Guillaume likes to deflect the praise noting that “the vines seem to be adapting to these solaire vintages and are coping better, the wines get finer and finer”, there is no doubt this Domaine is at the top of its game. A stunning range of stylish but authentic and vital wines that are rippling with energy.

2021 Vintage

Guillaume d’Angerville describes 2021 as a “break from any other vintage”, adding that “it is immensely interesting because people who have discovered Burgundy in last 20 years will never have seen anything like this.” The wines are something of a beautiful throw-back, enhanced by added know-how and biodynamic farming. They are gloriously transparent and easy-going, offering that elusive balance of intensity and lightness; fresh, clear and delicate, they are a joy and boast the qualities that got many of us into Burgundy in the first place. There was no rot of any sort as the bunches were naturally aerated at the beginning of the season thanks to coulure, there was a lot of sorting to do, though – to weed out underripe grapes. This compounded the small yields inflicted by the early April frost, which lasted three nights; in fact it was so cold, for so long, that the cold air travelled up the hill to damage the Premiers Crus, which is unusual. This has resulted in barely a quarter of a crop. Grapes reached a nicely balanced 12.5 to 13 degrees of potential alcohol, avoiding the need for chaptalisation. A small but beautiful vintage.

2022 Vintage

Harvest began here on the 23rd August, the same date as in 2003, but that is as far as the comparison goes. For these 2022s, whilst offering a healthy glow and richness, are an altogether more refreshing and elegant proposition, bristling with life and terroir character. Experience built up since 2003 has no doubt made a difference, but the vines have played their part, too. Guillaume d’Angerville is “convinced” that “the vines have adapted and that biodynamics continue to play their part.” Whilst Guillaume concedes that the 2022s are a little richer than the uber precise and concentrated 2020s he also admits that “despite the drought and heat, the wines are surprisingly fresh.” The season was, overall, benign and the fruit was impeccably healthy. As ever the Domaine had no recourse to corrective measures such as acidification or chaptalisation. The wines reflect this, offering relaxed, pure and harmonious profiles. They are polished, charming and don’t lack for energy. An excellent range.

2023 Vintage

While 2023 was a little larger than 2022, it was not as big here as in 1990, 1999, or 2000; a generous rather than bountiful crop. A heatwave arrived suddenly and the effects were rapid, so harvest was carried out promptly from the 4th September onwards, with potential alcohol levels ranging from 13.5 to 14. There are no changes to winemaking here, the fruit is all destalked and very little new oak is used for élevage. Guillaume d’Angerville’s only concession to the vintage is bottling the wines a little earlier than usual, to capture their youthful fruit – and this is something they have in abundance. There is a distinct charm and openness to these ‘23s, the fruit has a welcoming glow to it while a satisfying juiciness provides a balancing sense of freshness – but more pleasing still is how each vineyard is as clear and distinct as ever. Terroir triumphs over vintage, despite nature’s best attempts!