Tasted with Alexei Delagrange in Volnay, 03 July 2023.
Domaine Henri Delagrange & Fils
4 Rue Saint-Etienne
21190 Volnay
Tel: +33 3 80 21 64 12
www.domaine-henri-delagrange.com
More reports with Domaine Henri Delagrange
Alexei is the son of Hélène & Didier Delagrange. Alexei has been at the domaine since 2017 but since this 2022 vintage, he’s also been making the wines. “I want to respect the soil and the physiology of the plant – it’s our link to the soil – and I keep the ground with a cover crop for the whole of the winter,” says Alexei.
There are more reds than whites produced by this 15 hectare domaine, much of those 15 hectares is classified as ‘regional’ – but 6 hectares are here in the village of Volnay. The domaine’s main market, up to 70%, is export. There are lots of agents in France and sales in salons for vignerons for example ‘Vignerons Independent de France.’
Alexei on 2022:
“2022? Yes, I like it a lot! I waited to harvest as the skins weren’t quite ready. In the end, we had a correct rendement despite that we waited. We had 70% less volume in 2021 so, naturally, we were happier in 22!”
The wines…
There are some top wines in this range – worth a special search to find !!
2022 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
From vines located in the commune of Volnay.
Hmm – I don’t like the first aromas of this – like a dirty Beaujolais to start with – patience is rewarded as it does clean up quite nicely in the glass. Then we have pretty red fruit with a slightly more savoury undertow. In the mouth, this has modest intensity but has fresh and quite tasty red fruit. There’s a nice and fine line of flavour that flows into the finish. A very modest wine with some very good parts.
Various parcels, 55-60 year old vines in Bouchère, Famines, Cros Martin, Gigotte, Serpens and Pasquiers – various! 1.74 ha worth. This VV is all destemmed, though since 2008 a little whole cluster (15-20%) has been used in the premier crus
This nose starts a little tight but saline – in 2-3 minutes it’s starting to relax with a growing silky red fruit – very attractive indeed – and it keeps getting better. A roundness yet layered delivery of excellent flavour. A hint of sweetness and a hint of plushness too, but really finely balanced. Bravo! Super wine – what a difference compared to the first!
2022 Volnay 1er Clos des Chênes
Vines planted in 1939, ‘never a big yield,’ mid-slope vines, almost half a hectare.
Also starting a little tight and slowly opening in the glass – really a growing width of brooding notes – impressive if still discreet. Full, round, a saline suggestion that sits with the tannin – supple but rather concentrated, the tannin has no grain just a textural impression of faintly dry ‘drag.’ The first florals are very lovely flowers and they are in the finish too. Fine and covetable wine. The nose is now bigger and redder – silky too. Also a super wine.
Bought in 2007, always one of the first parcels to be harvested a little less surface than Clos des Chênes.
What a forward, high-toned and pretty nose – here is exuberant fruit edged, once more, with flowers – a really beautiful, clichéd Volnay. Mouth-filling, quite the most complex of these – more tannin for sure but in support rather than dominating – really a fine and detailed, pure complexity – my new favourite. Long, long… really great wine!
2022 Volnay 1er Santenots
Bought grapes from a friend – only 2-3 barrels – from Santenots du Haut (blancs).
A deep nose with some freshness but the depth hides a little grilled dark fruit. Freshness, salinity – a width that is intense, tight flavour but an interesting pure and clean complexity behind – wow! – this is good. The texture is fine and the tannin never more than an anecdote. If the nose improves this is also really super wine… The finish is more modest – in intensity, but not in length. The nose is getting better with deep red fruit of more volume – super wine!