2019 - Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs, Marquis d'Angerville

The 2019 Volnay Clos des Ducs 1er Cru has a typically aristocratic nose with layers of red and black fruit infused with shaved black truffle, crushed stone and pressed iris petals. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy saturated tannins, a voluminous Clos des Ducs that fills the mouth. Maybe a little spicier than usual, there is a generous pinch of cracked black pepper towards the finish and its normal extremely persistent aftertaste. Class from start to finish, cellar this for several years before even thinking about opening a bottle.

The 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs is immensely promising, mingling aromas of cherries and cassis with notions of orange rind, violets, raw cocoa and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's bright and concentrated, built around powdery tannins and tangy acids.

45-year-old vines. Picked last on 17 September. Cask sample.Pretty ripe nose. Quite exotically fruity – the opposite end of the scale from nervy! Very emphatic. Needs time to settle down and show its freshness. It’s like essence of Volnay. Very long – the wine goes on and on. (JR)