2017 - Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets, Michel Lafarge

The 2017 Volnay Les Caillerets 1er Cru, which lost 40% of its vines after Frédéric Lafarge pulled up the oldest 60-year old vines after the frost damage, has the most exotic bouquet amongst Lafarge’s 2017s. Although the Caillerets remains within that idiom of classic Burgundy. The palate is medium-bodied, feisty and spicy on the entry with hints of dark chocolate and espresso that tincture the red berry fruit. I find the oak just leaving a mark on the finish that will be subsumed by the time it is in bottle. Very fine.