2014 Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot, Volnay, Cote de Beaune, Red Burgundy, France.
The lovely 2014 vintage Volnay from the Jean-Marc Boillot domaine, a small winery founded back in 1984 and based in the famous town of Pommard, is a brilliantly elegant example of red Burgundy from this often underrated zone in the Cote de Beaune with smooth and luxurious texture and a pure layering of classic Pinot fruit, making for a very compelling and enticing wine. With flavors that feel bright and vivid this Boillot Volnay is still youthful in form with just a hint of reduction that needs a few moments to blow off and allow the more pretty floral elements to shine, while the ripe and supple medium bodied palate is evolved enough to be gracefully rewarding, in a way that reminds you clearly why Burgundy is so special with black cherry, red raspberry, blood orange and earthy strawberry fruits along with delicate briar notes, baking spices, rose petals, a touch of cedary smoky char and a fine mineral tone. This domaine, which is especially noteworthy for its exceptional lineup of white Burgundies, was one of the first Burgundies that I myself started buy with regularity and in particular, being that I was not ever over loaded with cash, I stocked up on the lesser known bottlings like Boillot’s Montagny and Rully Bourgogne Blancs that were and still are awesome values! That said, I have also been a fan of this winery’s red wine efforts, with this basic Volnay being one that certainly has been on my go to list since the 1999 vintage, plus when I was flush with a few extra dollars, I bought Boillot’s gorgeous Puligny-Montrachet(s) with their Premier Cru Les Referts being a favorite.
Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot was born from a family squabble, with Jean-Marc setting out on his own, leaving the historic Henri Boillot estate after disagreeing with the direction of style, which was trending to bigger and extra fruit extraction that went against the lighter and more finessed ideals that Jean-Marc preferred. As he got his own label up and running he became the winemaker for well known and admired Olivier Leflaive and took over his grandfather’s small cellars in Pommard, where he made a name for himself over the following decade. It should noted too, that Jean-Marc’s maternal grandfather was the late legendary Etienne Sauzet, who’s Montrachet’s are some of the most fabled wines ever produced, from whom he also inherited some exceptional parcels and was an inspiration to the young vigneron, so you can see why his white wines are his jewels and higher admired worldwide. This gemstone ruby red 2014 Volnay comes from Pinot Noir vines in a small single plot in the Les Pasquiers Lieu-Dit that is set on the region’s clay and limestone soils and was traditionally crafted using carefully sorted and de-stemmed hand harvested grapes. After the gentle crushing the Volnay was cold soaked in tank and saw an almost three week maceration and then allowed to warm for primary fermention, after which the wine was pressed and racked to small barriques with close to 25% new oak where it was raised for just over a year before a light filtration and bottling. The classic style and terroir driven character in this red Burgundy makes for a fine example of pure Volnay and with air its silky mouth feel and opulence takes over and a little patience pays off nicely. Opening this bottle brought back happy memories and I am now more excited than ever to taste the latest releases from Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot.
($58 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive