Volnay

RegionCôte de Beaune
VillageVolnay
AppellationVolnay
Grape varietyPinot Noir

The Vine

Average vine age 30 years
SoilBathonian limestone and clay.
Average yield40 hl/ha
HarvestHand picked

Wine tips

Cellaring Potential5-7 years
Serving temperature 14-15°

Description

This picturesque village nestles high above the Burgundian plain on a small knoll just a few hundred yards away from its neighbour Pommard. From the small square outside the 14th century church which dominates the village one can see the entire Burgundian plain and, on clear days, even as far as snow-capped Mont Blanc.

Vinification & Ageing

Fermentation
Traditional in open vats
Ageing
10 to 12 months ageing in oak barrels, 15% new
Barrels
Louis Latour cooperage, French oak, medium toasted

Wine tasting

Tasting Note
This wine will enchant you with its bouquet of ripe black berries, especially black currant. Ageing in full oak has conferred a pleasant vanilla touch. A wine that is ready to wait two to three years for a sublime encounter! Tasted January 2007
Food Pairing
Suckling pig - knuckle of veal veal - mature cheeses.

Press review

Volnay 2020 - Burghound.com - 89-91
Touches of oak and menthol are present on the more elegant nose of plum, black cherry and much more discreet earth influence. The sleek, intense and much finer middle weight flavors display a subtle minerality that adds a sense of lift to the nicely persistent finale. This is really quite good and worth considering.
Volnay 2020 - Wine Enthusiast - 92/100
Heady and intense aromas of dark florals, fresh black cherry, rhubarb and an abundance of rose mingle with notes of earthy mushroom, tossed
soil, cardamom and vanilla. Rich ripe red cherries and black pepper spice are layered with rose petal along the midpalate, framed with cardamom and brown mushroom. Tannins integrate beautifully with aeration, while acidity softens and leaves a fine texture that trails into long notes of black tea. (USA, December 2023)
Volnay 2018 - Perswijn (The Netherlands) - 16/20

Somewhat developed, sweet cherries, forest floor, fine tobacco; finely ripened, soft fruit, enough acidity and grip, quite long. (October 2024)
Volnay 2018 - Bill Nanson - January 2018 - "Excellent"
Deep, good fruit, quite a strong accent of oak today - which will, of-course, fade. A mouth-filling volume and really excellent freshness. A nice extra dimension of finishing flavour. This will be excellent
Volnay 2009 - Chris Kissack (UK) - January 2011 - 15.5-16/20An attractive layer of smoke here, over some delicately framed fruit, the fruit profile one of freshness, the clean and slightly sweet juice of freshly crushed, crunchy, just-ripe cherries. There is a little twist of barrel on the nose too, giving the wine a little seam of caramel which will go with time. Nicely solid on entry, through the middle showing a fresh, lightly crunchy, lifted, perfumed, cherry fruit character. Slightly stony in terms of composition, but all the better for that, and overall appealing. And a good sappy finish. Obviously this has been tasted non-blind, but this has lots of attractive feminine character typical of Volnay, yet without giving up anything in terms of substance. Very good potential.
Volnay 2008 - Wine Spectator - 2011 - 88/100Scents of graphite, violet and berry introduce this elegant, silky red, which shows a hint of earthiness on the finish and is balanced toward heat. Drink now through 2015. 400 cases imported.
Volnay 2007 - Wine Spectator - November 2009 - 89/100Broad and sweet - in a ripe, juicy fruit sort of way - this red offers cherry and raspberry flavors and a silky texture. It's hard not to enjoy now, but this should develop over the short term. Drink now through 2015. By Bruce Sanderson, USA.
Volnay 2006 - Wine Spectator - 2009 - 88/100Bright and pure, with cherry and spice notes mingling with the tight structure. This is elegant in stature, with a lingering finish. Drink now through 2017.
2006 Volnay - TheFineWineTimes.com - February 11th, 2010:Very light ruby colour with lively high-toned nose of summer-fruits paired with a light lick of oak. Racy and lithe on the palate with medium-bodied flavours of red cherry, raspberry and redcurrants. Smooth texture with bright ripe flavours, good supportive acidity and a decent fruity finish. Elegant.
Volnay 1959 - Burghound.com - November 2009 - 87/100Trace amounts of sous bois combine with mostly secondary aromas to serve as a pretty introduction to the round, naturally sweet and delicious middle weight flavors that possess good vibrancy and enough finishing depth and length to be interesting. While this is perfectly good as a wine, the complexity and moderately aged character of the flavors has difficulty melding gracefully with the hints of primary fruit as one does not really comport well with the other as the association is unexpected. On the plus side, there is good vibrancy for a villages-level wine of this age. By Allen Meadows (USA).