2019 Volnay Village

Winemaker Paul Zanetti has overseen some outstanding wines from this Pommard Domaine since joining back in 2010. (Has it really been that long? It seems like yesterday that Benjamin Leroux was showing the wines. Time flies). “For a few years we haven’t had a cool growing season,” he began as we discussed the 2019 in one of the small barrel cellars. “There was a threat of frost in the beginning of the season, but we did not have to burn any straw. [Vine] growth was very quick, which is why it’s important to have a big team at the moment. Flowering took a long time because of the inclement weather, which is why the production was small in addition to the berries being small in size. But the summer was nice, and August was warm. It was easy as there was very little mildew or oïdium. We lost 20% of the yield compared to a normal year, less than 30hl/ha on average, the smallest in Volnay. I started the harvest on 11 September with Volnay Fremiet and finished 17 September. I used more whole bunches in 2019, especially for the Auxey-Duresses, 30-40% as I wanted to have a full tank and bunches were fully ripe. The vinification was quite easy. You had to be careful with the sugar-levels. When you press the wine is not protected, so there is a risk of brettanomyces or volatile acidity. It was the same in 2020. This is why I keep the press in tank. I think we have to reflect on the work in the vineyard, in terms of canopy management and protecting bunches. The 2019s are quite high in alcohol, between 13.6° and 14.3° for the Clos des Epeneaux, but there is plenty of freshness. There is an impact of the clos, the wall, on the alcohol levels. The malolactic was very quick since the sun reduced the level. I will rack just before Christmas and then bottle in January.” This producer’s small portfolio is headlined by their 5.23-hectare monopole of Clos des Épeneaux, but readers should also seek their oft-overlooked cuvées in Volnay and Auxey-Duresses. You will find reviews of both the 2019 in barrel and bottled 2018s. Apropos the Pommard Clos des Épeneaux, Zanetti poured the 2018 and 2017 vintages that confirmed the impressive consistency given the challenges faced in the growing seasons. There are very intense, structured and pure: Pommard predesigned for cellaring.