2019 Volnay Village

It was raining cats and dogs when I pulled into Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Storm Alex reaching its zenith. I might have got soaked to the skin crossing the courtyard, but the parched vines must have been pleased to replenish their reserves. “It is another vintage of hot weather,” d’Angerville told me as we tasted his 2019s in the most Covid-protective set-up so far, a foot-pressed sanitising dispenser upon entry and a lectern for my laptop positioned on the far side of the tasting room. “The winter was very dry compared to normal. There was some frost in April that cost us around 10% [of the volume], not too significant. The flowering took place in not such great conditions, maybe too hot and too fast, which meant we lost another 10%. At the end of June and July there were two hot spells when we lost a third 10%. August was hot and dry. We started picking on 12 September and we harvested over five days. When I arrived at the Domaine my father had been using a small team of pickers that I subsequently expanded. As it turned out, we reduced the number of pickers by a quarter in 2020 due to Covid and actually found this more manageable and added only half a day to the harvest. We had a lot of sugar in 2019 but better than 2018 in terms of yeast efficiency, plus there was no early start to the malolactic that we had then. We ended with around 13.5°-14.0° alcohol. For the Premier Crus we use around 17-20% new wood depending on the cuvée, though it is something I am thinking about and reducing further in the future. The 2019s will be bottled in spring.”

In our lengthy conversation, Guillaume d’Angerville spoke generally about recent vintages. “The 2018 vintage was a turning point, where you see a different kind of growing season. That means we have to rethink everything that we do, taking into account the ‘new normal’. I think biodynamics help and there is a rumour that those farming biodynamically enjoyed better yields in 2020.”

The Domaine’s 2019s continue a very strong run in recent vintages. The Taillepieds, which is usually backward, was shining on the day of my visit, whereas the Champans was more closed. There is beguiling purity and exceptional terroir expression that imbues these wines with such nobility. The Clos des Ducs yet again asserts its authority within Volnay and is Grand Cru in all but name: a stunning, aristocratic behemoth that will rank amongst the greatest this monopole has ever produced. Yes, it’s that good. I must admit that I did not warm up to the Volnay 1er Cru as I have in previous years, though the Volnay Fremiet is glorious.