Tasted in Volnay with Pascal Roblet, 19 November 2020.
Domaine Roblet-Monnot
11 rue de la Combe
21190 Volnay
Tel: +33 6 74 21 82 04
More reports on Domaine Roblet-Monnot
Pascal an 2020:
“A relatively simple year in the vines. I worked 7 days a week in confinement because there was nothing else to do – I planted new vines and fixed things here and there, but still, it was an easy vintage. Normally an early start means a long year, the vines pushed but not too fast, not too many treatments were needed, partly because of the dryness. We finished our work 14 July, so not too early. I finished by moving the palisage that had done a good job of shading the grapes. I did start harvesting early but it was also a long harvest – finishing 20 September with my last vines. I had the degrees early but the grapes simply were not ready – it was the rain of 22 august that really made the difference and began picking 25 August. I harvested 26 August in 2011 and all was ripe. I think it wasn’t the heat that blocked the grapes, it was the lack of rain. Nowadays you have to treat the grapes like cows – keep them in the shade – it’s the leaves that make the photosynthesis. Because of that, I didn’t lose more than 5-10%, finally 25-30 hl/ha, with 33-34 in the villages – these are levels that I’m happy with. ”
Pascal an 2019:
“Similar to 2020, except there was frost at the start of the year – I had to work with candles, and often. The flowering was average with lots of millerandes our the result. I saw 43°C in the shade in the middle of the vines one day, fortunately before veraison. But a relatively simple year because the grapes had good maturity and good balance. I think a vintage of elegance. 79 and 2002 are comparable to 2019 – classic, elegant pinot, the terroirs all different. Not 2002 in Volnay as there were low yields because it was badly hailed in 01…”
The wines…
One of my top-3 domaines of 2017. In 2019 not quite, but still a number of great wines!
2019 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Racked earlier today.
Deep, ripe but with life. Fresh attack, a base of tannic grain but no astringence – perfectly ripe. A wide wave of finishing freshness – this is to keep a while but as the finish opens out its really exceptionally fine Bourgogne – the rest of the wine will also be great if it does the same.
All following from barrel:
2019 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune
Ooh, thats a lovely width of darker fruit aroma. Fuller, rounder, nice tannin, no grain, just a little grab. Softening in the finish and becoming more interesting with time, just like the Bourgogne.
White soil of Chanlins-hautes. ‘In Pommard if it’s not ripe, it’s not ripe, much more so than other places – the key is the right moment to harvest.’
Much more airy and with more clarity of fruit too – becoming beguilingly beautiful. Structural but energetic, wide and mouthwatering, beautifully perfumed. That’s great villages. Structure with ethereal flavours…
2019 Volnay St.Francois
Pascal’s father is called Francois, and one of his sons too. 25% whole clusters in this one
A little more density of aroma – quickly freshening. More depth, more suppleness of flavour but there’s a drive to this flavour too. No grain, almost a suggestion of chocolate in the middle. Vibrantly Long and a little haunting in the finish – so good!
Largely Robardelles
A deeper nose, darker fruit, good clarity too. Ooh, driving, direct, fine energy. Beautiful, I mean really beautifully finishing – a theme here as the wines take on more clarity. Ethereal finishing… The last drops in the glass more open and more clarity of perfume.
2019 Volnay 1er Brouillards
A little accent of the wc and wide red fruit – such a great invitation. More structural but seemingly more delicious at the same tome. Mouth-wateringly long, less finishing power but just as long as the last.
A nose of extra dimension and in all directions. Another level of structure – this the Clos de Vougeot of Volnay. But beautiful flavours hang from this framework. Intense finishing. There’s only a tiny more than other wines but in all directions…
Just thirty metres from the top part of the Clos des Ducs
Ooh! That’s a big nose, powerful, perfumed – wow! So perfumed in the flavour too is that the barrel – nope, same as the previous wines. Such a large-scaled wine but never heavy.
And to keep us going:
2018 Volnay St.Francois
only 3 months in bottle.
A nose that starts big, punchy then more softly of whole-clusters. It’s a baby. Mouth-filling, plenty of energy – structure too. Good clarity in the finish. Getting better all the time – thats a super wine, but wait, this is a vin-de-garde!
A deeper nose, the wc showing a bit more to start – then widening with clarity of red fruit. Easier over the palate, more supple, still fresh and energetic. Wide, lip-smacking a truly great finish, modest tannin, but it’s just the last thing on the tip of the tongue. Not the Clos de Vougeot of Volnay this vintage, but still a great wine for the vintage!
2008 Volnay 1er Taillepieds
Much paler colour, the nose is downright great – complex, forest floor, great wine. There’s freshness and openness but also a big weight of structure here. Still, incredibly tasty wine.