2016 - Volnay 1er Cru Champans, Domaine de Montille

(this vineyard features more clay than most Volnay premier crus, but the crop level was very uneven in 2016 owing to the frost, with the bottom of the vineyard wiped out, the middle portion missing 30% of its normal fruit and the top overloaded, according to Sieve; vinified with one-third whole clusters and aged in one-third new oak): Healthy medium red. Reticent but ripe scents of black cherry, licorice and musky chocolate. The dark chocolate element carries through on the palate but the wine also shows surprising acidity and lively notes of licorice and herbs. Saturates the tongue and palate on the aftertaste, with the tannins rather suave but serious. This wine is typically more about texture than minerality as the tannins soften, noted Sieve.

The 2016 Volnay 1er Cru Champans suffered frost damage on the lower reaches and 50% damage on the mid-slope of the vineyard. It includes one-third whole cluster and matured in 30% new oak. It has a surprisingly broody and more introverted bouquet than recent vintages, defined but certainly holding everything back. The palate is well structured but bullish and rustic, quite rough tannin at the moment, a broad shouldered and square-jawed Volnay that will require several years in bottle.

33% whole bunch (less than usual because frost affected the vineyard so variably), 33% new oak. Bit of clay on limestone, below their Taille Pieds. Malo in August. Late malo has restabilised the colour. Low sulphur dioxide. Barrel sample. Bright mid crimson and pale rim. Really charming full-on bitter-cherry fruit on the nose and then lots of fine tannin without a lot of luscious fruit in the middle. Embryonic but certainly clean. (JR)