Tasted with Raymond Boillot in Volnay, 09 February 2016.
Domaine Albert Boillot
Ruelle St Etienne
21190 Volnay
Tel: +33 3 80 21 61 21
www.domaine-albert-boillot.com
The small Domaine Albert Boillot covers a modest 3.5 hectares. It sits in a lovely old house in a corner of Volnay inhabited by a number of Boillots. The Boillots all have a shared family history in the region, a history that stretches for 3 centuries, it is the same great grandparents of Raymond Boillot that are behind all the current Boillots of Volnay. Succession has always divided those initial holdings, and here there have been no vineyard additions – hence the modest size – “Still, the parcels are quite large and interesting” says Raymond.
Raymond Boillot once worked as an ‘oenelogue’ for Maison Reine Pedanque in Aloxe-Corton, but having taken on, with his brother, their father Albert’s domaine – and Albert had worked until he was 80 – Raymond smiles and tells me “It’s a nice retirement work and I enjoy the visitors who come to taste” – which is probably just as well, because about 60% of the domaine’s sales are to individual visitors, the remainder being exported.
The fine old house finds place for a cuverie above the cellar, so most operations can be done by gravity. There are concrete tanks for vinification and automatic pigeage if required.
The parcels are in the communes of Volnay and Pommard, the wines ‘richer in Pommard’ says Raymond. Raymond also has regional wine,s including cremant made from 1.5 hectares of vines below the Route Nationale. There are 0.5 hectares of Volnay Petits Poisots, plus two Pommard 1ers; Chanlins Bas, and Argillières “but quite large parcels of 0.27 and 0.50 hectares.”
The wines…
Modest but tasty, well-made wines from this domaine.
2014 Volnay Petits Poisots
The lieu-dit name is on the label – there are small springs here, hence the name, ‘despite plenty of drainage this is still a damp place – 20 year old vines…’
Bright, open, red fruited with flowers. Has great width and a good texture, the mouth-watering flavour, opens out very well. Very good standard, tasty wine.
2013 Volnay Petits Poisots
“2013 a really difficult vintage as it rained so often and it was a late harvest, not starting until the 6th October. It was hard to decide when to start.”
A less forward, more mineral impression from this tighter nose. But bright, incisive, wide, with a certain accent of austerity – but this combination is fresh and appealing to me. Crunchy, slightly sweet fruit. I’d still wait a couple of years, but this is also good, indeed the length is excellent.
2012 Volnay Petits Poisots
Pinot fruit, pyrazine, flowers – what a blend – it’s very attractive. I find a little sweetness to this impressively concentrated wine, there’s still pyrazine in the flavour mix too. The mid-palate and finish are, I think, excellent. And really persistent to. Yum!
2012 Pommard 1er Chanlins Bas
Bright, wide, floral, also a pyrazine component, but one that fades to leave a floral impression. Bigger, silkier wine, good dimension of flavour, a little tannin in the middle, and then a long, lingering finish. A tasty wine indeed.