France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru
Bottled under screwcap. Extremely reductive on the nose, with an incredibly potent whiff of sulphur. Underneath, there is a little bit of sweet pear and other orchard fruits, as well as a slight green herbaceousness. The palate is lean and shows mostly acidity, and has somewhat underripe elements as well. Too lean and thin, without any counterbalancing ripeness and breadth.
Very ripe and potent fruit on the nose here, as well as some really lovely earthy elements. It’s clear that this has a fair bit of sweet fruit. Very intense, but delicate as well. Shows a slight bit of browning, dried fruit, but it’s actually very pleasant. The acidity is here as well. Plenty of tannic structure; this is another example of why I love the 1993 vintage so much. My 1st, group’s 10th.
Clearly a little more modern in demeanor, with a very structural quality. Beautiful red fruit on the nose and palate, but the oak still has some ways to go before fully integrating. There are some mild brown spice elements here, as well as a little bit of a tannic astringency. Good acidity, but I wish this were a little more vibrant with its fruit. My 11th, group’s 5th.
A mild bit of reduction, but with some beautiful red fruit on the nose here. This is definitely a wine with a slightly heftier composition on the nose. That shows on the palate, with a slight bit of burnt rubber, but the overall fruit composition in this wine is outstanding. It’s so cheerful and bright, and the red berries are absolutely compelling. I think at the end of the day, this is a wine that needs more time resolve. My 9th, group’s 4th.
The oak treatment here seems to be a little heavier, and there are further brown spice qualities on the nose here. This has a jamminess and ripeness that is actually quite nice -- seems to indicate that there will be a good bit of sweetness. The palate shows a really lovely amount of acidity, and this doesn’t seem to be as structured as the Pousse. However, there is more of a friendliness to this wine right now, even if the oak comes off a little strong on the back end. My 4th, group’s 3rd.
Absolutely love the fruit profile on this wine again -- it’s so pure and crystalline, with some lovely cherry elements as well. Bright acidity overall, but there is a bit more of a backwards quality to this wine. Feels fairly tannic and backwards on the palate, and I’m not very sure if that’s related to the oak or not. But the fruit profile here is very pretty, and the perfumed florals add an extra dimension. I’d be inclined to give this more cellar time. My 7th, group’s 8th.
Much darker in colour than the Armand. I suspect there’s some more extraction going on here. Black fruited, but incredibly pure in the fruit as well. The palate has some intense sweet elements, and the relative ripeness here shows very prominently. There seems to be some oak treatment here, but it’s not overdone. In fact, I really like this for its slightly more silky and voluptuous presence. My 5th, group’s 6th.
I would love to be served more 2011 red Burgundies blind, because I’d love to know if I can pick out those green elements that I always claim stick out -- I think that this definitely does have a slight bit of that on the nose. I don’t remember if it was the Chenes or this that I had a few years ago, but the green elements here don’t seem as prominent now. There is a light, savoury element here that is actually quite pleasant, but those stemmy green qualities seem to come out on the back again, with a bit of an ashy character. My 12th, group’s 9th.
Incredibly perfumed in style, this is a wine with an obvious light touch. There is delicate red fruit, with some lovely herbaceous tones that aren’t actually green (like the 2011). The nose is resolved, showing some secondary characteristics, with some earth and dried fruit. The palate is elegant and lean -- subdued and quiet, but also with a lot of complexity. For my palate, this is definitely right where I like my Burgundy to be. My 2nd, group’s 11th.
This is a nose of raw power, with tons of black and red fruit. You can pick out the perfumed aromatics here as well. The palate, however, is a little less compelling, showing more ripeness than I would generally like. There’s also some oakiness that still seems quite prominent here (I wonder if d’Angerville dialled back the oak a bit in subsequent years?). Overall, a little heavy-handed. My 10th, group’s 12th.
Red-fruited, but backwards and rustic, along with a mild bit of Burgundian earthy funk. This is restrained and elegant on the palate, without much of the dirty elements that I have been conditioned to expect in the de Montille wines. Lovely fresh acidity; the brightness and red-toned hues in this wine would make me think that this wasn’t a 2006 if I had it blind. My 8th, group’s 7th.
Wow, I love the perfume here. There’s a very mild bit of stemminess on the nose here, but it adds a lot of elegance to the nose on this wine. The red fruit is delicate and floral. Obviously young, with some really elegant floral elements on the palate. This is a wine that is still showing a little bit of a saccharine quality from the stems, but it’s not over the top here, and it’s actually quite pleasant. I love the sweet fruit and the youthful freshness. It may be a crime to say, but definitely ready to go. My 3rd, group’s 2nd.
Slightly more reduced and intense on the nose here, with a darker complexion and less of the red fruited elements. Intense red cherries on the palate here, with a supple texture that makes this extremely easy to drink. There’s still that same brightness and floral element, but it’s a little less exuberant. Delicious, but I preferred the Carelle by a hair. My 6th, group’s 1st.
2011 Benjamin Leroux Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien Blanc 85 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru
Bottled under screwcap. Extremely reductive on the nose, with an incredibly potent whiff of sulphur. Underneath, there is a little bit of sweet pear and other orchard fruits, as well as a slight green herbaceousness. The palate is lean and shows mostly acidity, and has somewhat underripe elements as well. Too lean and thin, without any counterbalancing ripeness and breadth.
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1993 Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Very ripe and potent fruit on the nose here, as well as some really lovely earthy elements. It’s clear that this has a fair bit of sweet fruit. Very intense, but delicate as well. Shows a slight bit of browning, dried fruit, but it’s actually very pleasant. The acidity is here as well. Plenty of tannic structure; this is another example of why I love the 1993 vintage so much. My 1st, group’s 10th.
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2010 Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Clearly a little more modern in demeanor, with a very structural quality. Beautiful red fruit on the nose and palate, but the oak still has some ways to go before fully integrating. There are some mild brown spice elements here, as well as a little bit of a tannic astringency. Good acidity, but I wish this were a little more vibrant with its fruit. My 11th, group’s 5th.
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2010 La Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
A mild bit of reduction, but with some beautiful red fruit on the nose here. This is definitely a wine with a slightly heftier composition on the nose. That shows on the palate, with a slight bit of burnt rubber, but the overall fruit composition in this wine is outstanding. It’s so cheerful and bright, and the red berries are absolutely compelling. I think at the end of the day, this is a wine that needs more time resolve. My 9th, group’s 4th.
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2010 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
The oak treatment here seems to be a little heavier, and there are further brown spice qualities on the nose here. This has a jamminess and ripeness that is actually quite nice -- seems to indicate that there will be a good bit of sweetness. The palate shows a really lovely amount of acidity, and this doesn’t seem to be as structured as the Pousse. However, there is more of a friendliness to this wine right now, even if the oak comes off a little strong on the back end. My 4th, group’s 3rd.
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2010 Comte Armand Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Absolutely love the fruit profile on this wine again -- it’s so pure and crystalline, with some lovely cherry elements as well. Bright acidity overall, but there is a bit more of a backwards quality to this wine. Feels fairly tannic and backwards on the palate, and I’m not very sure if that’s related to the oak or not. But the fruit profile here is very pretty, and the perfumed florals add an extra dimension. I’d be inclined to give this more cellar time. My 7th, group’s 8th.
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2010 Domaine Henri Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Much darker in colour than the Armand. I suspect there’s some more extraction going on here. Black fruited, but incredibly pure in the fruit as well. The palate has some intense sweet elements, and the relative ripeness here shows very prominently. There seems to be some oak treatment here, but it’s not overdone. In fact, I really like this for its slightly more silky and voluptuous presence. My 5th, group’s 6th.
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2011 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs 83 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
I would love to be served more 2011 red Burgundies blind, because I’d love to know if I can pick out those green elements that I always claim stick out -- I think that this definitely does have a slight bit of that on the nose. I don’t remember if it was the Chenes or this that I had a few years ago, but the green elements here don’t seem as prominent now. There is a light, savoury element here that is actually quite pleasant, but those stemmy green qualities seem to come out on the back again, with a bit of an ashy character. My 12th, group’s 9th.
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2001 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Incredibly perfumed in style, this is a wine with an obvious light touch. There is delicate red fruit, with some lovely herbaceous tones that aren’t actually green (like the 2011). The nose is resolved, showing some secondary characteristics, with some earth and dried fruit. The palate is elegant and lean -- subdued and quiet, but also with a lot of complexity. For my palate, this is definitely right where I like my Burgundy to be. My 2nd, group’s 11th.
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2006 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
This is a nose of raw power, with tons of black and red fruit. You can pick out the perfumed aromatics here as well. The palate, however, is a little less compelling, showing more ripeness than I would generally like. There’s also some oakiness that still seems quite prominent here (I wonder if d’Angerville dialled back the oak a bit in subsequent years?). Overall, a little heavy-handed. My 10th, group’s 12th.
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2006 Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Champans 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Red-fruited, but backwards and rustic, along with a mild bit of Burgundian earthy funk. This is restrained and elegant on the palate, without much of the dirty elements that I have been conditioned to expect in the de Montille wines. Lovely fresh acidity; the brightness and red-toned hues in this wine would make me think that this wasn’t a 2006 if I had it blind. My 8th, group’s 7th.
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2014 Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Volnay 1er Cru En Carelle 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Wow, I love the perfume here. There’s a very mild bit of stemminess on the nose here, but it adds a lot of elegance to the nose on this wine. The red fruit is delicate and floral. Obviously young, with some really elegant floral elements on the palate. This is a wine that is still showing a little bit of a saccharine quality from the stems, but it’s not over the top here, and it’s actually quite pleasant. I love the sweet fruit and the youthful freshness. It may be a crime to say, but definitely ready to go. My 3rd, group’s 2nd.
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2014 Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Chapelle 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Slightly more reduced and intense on the nose here, with a darker complexion and less of the red fruited elements. Intense red cherries on the palate here, with a supple texture that makes this extremely easy to drink. There’s still that same brightness and floral element, but it’s a little less exuberant. Delicious, but I preferred the Carelle by a hair. My 6th, group’s 1st.
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