1998 Volnay

Boillot describes 1999 as "a year of lowish acidity, but slightly higher than that of '98, and with more sugar." The young vines, he added, were more stunted by sun stress in August, with the result that this fruit is not as complex or harmonious as the grapes produced by older vines. Yields tend to be moderate here, even in a copious year like '99, as Boillot prunes short and then does a subsequent green pruning, despite the risk of spring frost. He believes that green harvesting in mid-summer is counterproductive; rather than resulting in smaller quantities of juice, "it almost risks dilution in most years; in 2000, for example, a vendange verte caused the remaining grapes to swell even more." Boillot bled off about 5% of the juice in a number of his '99 cuvees but keeps saignee moderate for fear of getting dry tannins. Boillot also did well in '98, though he noted that "the higher you get in the hierarchy of terroir in '98, the more noble the tannins are." (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)