Tasted in Volnay with Etienne Chaix, 02 November 2023.
Domaine Joseph Voillot
Place de l’Église
21190 Volnay
Tel: +33 3 80 21 62 27
www.joseph-voillot.com
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Etienne on 2023:
“It passed well for most people I think – we were fortunate. The year started very well – it was more complicated in June and July but the weather at the end of August helped us to maturity – the reverse of previous vintages where we waited for rain after the cannicule – so the reverse in 23 – we filled our tanks after 6 days of harvesting and all is now in place in the cellar.”
Etienne on 2022:
“The whites and the red Bourgogne have been bottled but nothing else. We saw 17 mm in August that helped us to conserve a good volume – and freshness in the grapes – we were lucky. The vines suffered from the heat of course but this rain got us through unscathed. We increased our prices by 10% for the 21s and of course we still had no chance the recover the loss of volume but as a gesture to our clients we will reduce our prices for the 2022s – they are not all set but on average a minimum of 5% – and we have another good volume for 23 to come, of course – and let’s not forget that wine is a luxury not a necessity…”
The wines…
Etienne strikes me as the most humble of winemakers – and what wines he makes too – there is class in every bottle!
2022 Bourgogne Vieilles-Vignes
Fresh, small berry complexity – even some florals. Bright, plenty of mouth-filling energy here. Juicy, and quite delicious, the structure keeps everything in shape without dominating. Excellent regional – and really persistent too – I could see me drinking a lot of this quite soon!!
From now none are yet bottled:
2022 Volnay Vieilles-Vignes
From 6 different parcels; mainly Grand and Petits Poisots, Gigotte, Pacquiers and Famines.
Larger scale and a bit more floral but there’s also a little expectation of structure here too. More direct, a tannin without grain and even more intensity finishing in juicy flavour – this is for keeping a couple of years to aid generosity but the flavour complexity is really super – large-scale and yum in this finish!
2022 Pommard Vieilles-Vignes
Normally from Cras, Saucilles, Vaumauriens and Poisot.
Finer and wider – this is very appealing! A little more direct with a structure that recalls the velour and faint drying of the Volnay. But the middle flavours are still choc-full of fruit and flower complexity. The finish is broader in this case and still framed with the structural velour – another to keep 2 years before harvesting – but also another delicious wine!
2022 Beaune 1er Coucherias
Quite high toned and a little narrower – but with a small aromatic cushion too. Direct but then spreading out over the palate – a hint of tannin frames the mouth-watering flavour with a small dryness – but direct again and lightly perfumed in this finish – actually a very engaging finish – another lovely wine that I’d also be waiting a couple of years for…
2022 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets
There’s depth here but more sparkly top notes of enviable purity too. More direct again – a wine of sweeping flavour and far more subtle dryness from the grainless tannin – texturally, this is super wine. Broad and more structural finish – but what a lovely wine – really excellent.
2022 Volnay 1er Cru Champans
A narrower but deeper nose – with a good textural impression. Clean, panoramic width and some fine fluidity to this flavour too – the merest accent of the barrel today but it will be gone in 6 months. Extra juicy in the finishing flavour. Super wine – a little less demonstrative than in most vintages but with a finish that’s not to be underestimated. Super wine.
2022 Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets
Planted in 1982.
A much more shy nose – yet… There’s the cliché clarity that I yearn for from Caillerets – so good! A little more plump in style – broader, more juicy and actively complex today than the Champans – again with a little oak. Really broad over the palate and very slowly fading – this will be completely excellent!
2022 Pommard 1er Clos Micault
Old vines!
Less aromatic impact despite a little more width. Cool, energetic, quite fluid in style – there’s a little more intensity – with structure to match. More chewy tannin – I might be waiting 3-4 years for this but the finish is a dreamy width of great flavour!
2022 Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots
From Petits Epenots, in the last part before Beaune Epenottes, below Pommard Boucherottes. Similar oak elevage to Caillerets
More vibrant and more impressively concentrated fruit here – dark red. Broad and juicy again – more mouth-filling and again, framed by a grainless, faintly drying tannin. Super finishing core of fruit. Another for longer keeping – but that’s no surprise with Epenots – this will be lovely!
A higher-toned layer of fine floral perfume is obvious here – lovely! Again juicy – but with a bit more energy overall – structural of course, but not too demanding and simply delicious wine – that could be a great one!
Less wide but still with a super core of fruit – of clarity! Hmm there’s a certain ease to this extra width of melting flavour – utterly composed, framed with velour but hardly drying – this is actually the most drinkable of the 1ers today with the most sophisticated of textures too but with the potential to be equally delicious – if completely different – in 30 years time – bravo!
“Yes, I’m like a child in a large store every year at harvest time in Rugiens😊”
Les Whites:
These last two both bottled:
2022 Meursault Les Chevaliers
‘Purely by chance, grandfather had the chance to buy in two very limestone parcels – his wife was sure that he significantly overpaid – which meant many bouquets of flowers for her in the years that followed!’
Broad and a little diffuse today but with the essence of Meursault spice. Ooh – juicy, – it’s the vintage! – but with super texture and a width of insinuating flavour – almost silky too. That’s quite contemplative today despite the juicy start – but in the best way – very delicious and with fine concentration!
Narrower but finer nose with more obvious focus. Much more direct, clean-cut wine, there’s citrus juice and a small tannin that you could call chalky. Beautifully balanced wine – I love it – bravo!