2017 Volnay 1er Cru

It was a pleasure to return to Coche-Dury after a couple of year's of absence. Raphael Coche is now firmly ensconced as the winemaker, his father Jean-François taking what might be described as a busy backseat to role, doubtless aware of the big shoes his son must fill. Upon entering the barrel cellar, he guided me to the transparent sided barrel where you can observe the deposited lees, encouraging to lean and listen to the almost but no quite inaudible "fizz" of the wine's slow fermentation. As customary, I tasted the previous vintage i.e. 2017, which Raphael told me was distinguished by miniscule grapes. Coche compares 2017 with 2001 in terms of their openness. During our conversation he insisted the importance of stressing the vines, doing everything possible to make them produce natural sugar levels and then being "super meticulous in all levels of vinification." He is also pushing for a very slow alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. "The more gentle everything is, the better," he advised. Of course, such is the demand for their wines that any buying advice is going to have no effect upon decision since everyone accepts whatever they can get their hands on. But I will emphasize my appreciation of Coche-Dury's Puligny-Montrachet that is often overlooked because of its outlier status in this Meursault-dominated portfolio and that it is a Village and not Premier Cru.