2005 Volnay 1er Cru

"A very good, charming vintage," said Frederic Lafarge of 2006. "It was a vintage made in the vines. The level of ripeness and the sanitary conditions made all the difference. Those who had to do a lot of sorting had problems." The premier crus are in the 13% alcohol range without chaptalization. Interestingly, Lafarge told me that pHs and crop levels were similar in 2006 and 2005 (around 3.5 and 35-38 h/h, respectively). "But you can't compare '06 to '05 in power, density or length," he said. "Still, in five or six years the '06s will be the better vintage to drink." The 2005s here have turned out fabulously. "Two thousand five was a year that agrees with Volnay, because in this village we're less likely to have made overly fleshy, powerful wines. Pommard is much more muscular in 2005." (A Becky Wasserman Selection, imported by Martin-Scott Wines, Ltd., Lake Success, NY; Wines Unlimited, New Orleans, LA; Vinalia Imports, Camarillo, CA)

"A great vintage, clearly the best since 1990," said Michel Lafarge about 2005. "And the wines are a bit more typical for pinot; they express their terroirs accurately. There is a regularity of expression all the way up the ladder of our sites." The Lafarges carried out what Michel called "a moderate extraction," which included one punchdown per day. He noted that in wood or concrete vats, as opposed to stainless steel, the temperature descends more slowly at the end of the fermentations, which allows several days of further maceration without any need for intervention. When I asked Lafarge if he did some whole cluster fermentation in 2005, he said no, but noted that with the gentler destemmer the estate now uses, more whole berries go into the vat. "But skins don't bring anything good," he maintained. (A Becky Wasserman Selection, imported by Martin-Scott Wines, Ltd., Lake Success, NY; Wines Unlimited, New Orleans, LA; Vinalia Imports, Camarillo, CA) Also recommended: Volnay Vendanges Selectionnees (86).