Quite deeply coloured ruby-red and starting to gain a shade of amber at the rim. Wide, slightly ethereal aromatics with a submerged but dense core of darker fruit – very interesting. The full palate shows plenty of fine background tannin that’s edged with a little bitterness. There’s just enough acidity and the flavour lingers very well, hinting to cream – there was a slightly green cedary phase but then it was gone. A very fine 97 and a better drink than the d’Angerville 99 from yesterday.
Volnay
2006 Comtes Lafon Volnay
2005 Comtes Lafon Volnay
2006 Voillot Joseph Volnay
1980 Barolet Arthur Volnay
Heavy glass bottle. The cork is soaked through and crumbly, only saved by the sideways intervention of a screwpull worm. Deep ruby-colour core edging to amber. The nose starts a little tight and mixes faint high-toned fruit, stewing plum over soil. The first observation on the palate is the acidity – fine but forward – seems dominant but very quickly the palate fills out and shows both density and texture if strangely little flavour – very linear! Then moving from the mid-palate to the finish the wine explodes with that missing flavour and forward grainy tannin. The finish is quite long, edged with cream though there’s a suggestion of oxidation in the background somewhere.
1999 Lafarge Michel Volnay
Medium young ruby core with a cherry rim. High-toned soaring nose of ripe cherry/cranberry and a hint of redcurrant – really super. The palate is very fresh – the acidity is certainly to the fore – but with a silky texture and density that seems to be just about enough to come round with time vs the structure. I’m a lover of the fresh, slightly acidic style but still found this bottle a bit of a challenge. I suspect that it will come round and if that’s the case it should be a wonderful villages given the super aromatics – leave it another 3-5 years before revisiting. If you want a surer bet though, you could always try the next wine…
2003 Comte Armand Volnay
1998 Boillot Jean-Marc Volnay
Medium-plus cherry red. The nose is a little subdued, raspberry and redcurrant and a little alcohol. The palate is sweet with good acidity with slightly grainy tannins that show a little astringency. Medium bodied fruit which also shows in quite a subdued way. A pleasant and tasty well-balanced wine, but currently quite subdued – hint of taint?
1999 de Montille Volnay
Medium cherry red in colour. Lovely, high-toned red fruity nose, raspberry and strawberry. The palate is medium intensity but has beautifully pure high toned fruit and kind of sneaks up on you with the finish. Perfect acidity and tannin that’s only there if you search for it. Not a blockbuster. but balanced and pure – should age very gracefully – lovely.