1998 leroy volnay clos des chênes

22.11.2008billn

leroy volnay clos des chênes

The label assumes that you know that ‘Volnay Clos Des Chênes’ is a premier cru as there is no mention of ‘rank’. This is far from a cheap bottle – 70 Swiss francs – but the tariff is in-line with several producers’ current 1er cru offerings from the Côte de Beaune, it also has the benefit of another 8 years of aging, though clearly a lot 1998’s needed it…
1998 Maison Leroy, Volnay 1er Clos des Chênestry to find this wine...
Deep ruby-red colour. The nose is herbal and meaty with background sweetness and quite some sense of maturity. In the mouth there is the rasp of ’98 tannins, but they are rather a background element. More to the fore is the sweet but freshly packaged fruit – quite some secondary flavour development again with some of that herbal element and lots of sweet and wide mid-palate flavour. Complex and very well balanced with plenty of time on it’s side it’s a world away from 2005/2006’s but that’s no negative. This is actually not bad value for a Leroy and I may indeed buy a couple more for 5-10 years down the line.
Rebuy – Yes

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There are 3 responses to “1998 leroy volnay clos des chênes”

  1. Phil Eaves23rd November 2008 at 11:16 amPermalinkReply

    Hey Bill how do you know its a 1er could it not be from that small part that is village ?

  2. billn23rd November 2008 at 12:27 pmPermalinkReply

    If you can show me where there’s a village part of Clos des Chênes Phil, I’d be interested to know…
    More of a regulation clue is that the label states Volnay Clos des Chênes with the same font size on on the same line with appellation controlee below – if it was not the registered 1er cru, then the Clos des Chênes text would have to be subordinate – i.e. on a lower line with a smaller font. Interestingly there’s also none of that (required) ‘Grand Vin de Bourgogne’ nonsense on the label either.
    See easy 😉

  3. Phil Eaves23rd November 2008 at 1:46 pmPermalinkReply

    ok I’ll concede the font size but the village part is 0.67 ha and is situated on the very north western edge within
    the lieu dit Ez Blanches unless it has been gobbled up with the Volnay updates of recent times ? I have had a bottle from Michel Lafarge circa 86 and the font size was suitably reduced.

    • billn23rd November 2008 at 1:59 pmPermalinkReply

      Thanks Phil. I see where you mean, but without your Lafarge comment, I wouldn’t have connected it to Clos des Chênes. I’ve asked the BIVB for the status of this plot and what is allowed wrt labelling – I will revert!
      Cheers

    • billn24th November 2008 at 12:58 pmPermalinkReply

      Well spotted Phil. According to the BIVB, only Christian Bellang in Meursault now makes such a bottling – or at least labels it such. According to INAO: he can still put the Clos des Chênes name after Volnay but the size of each letter has to be the half of the size of the letters Volnay.

      Burgundy retains its crown for being simple!
      Cheers

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