2012 Domaine Joseph Voillot, Volnay, Vieilles Vignes, Red Burgundy, France.
The 2012 Voillot Volnay is a generous and remarkable young Burgundy, I’ve tasted it twice now and each time it gets better and better and over the course of the last year in bottle it has gained depth, finesse and hedonistic charm and has entered a long phase of pure pleasure! This beautiful Pinot Noir bursts from the glass with floral tones, energy and fleshy fruits, this is a blockbuster from first smell and sip and never shies away, this wine has Grand Cru feel and detail and is a killer deal for the quality in the bottle, kudos to Voillot, this wine is a stunning example and is almost as fantastic as his old vine Pommard, which I highlighted last May and is also drinking out of this world today! Where the Pommard has a bit more stuffing and intensity, showing exotic perfume and meaty character, the Volnay is more delicate and unbelievably sexy and seductive with a lightness and focus that is impossible to resist, these 2012 Voillot’s are works of art and a passionate set of wines, especially these two, the Pommard and Volnay village offerings, if you can find them, they are well worth investing in, classy and gorgeous stuff. I was and am completely smitten with them, in particular this Volnay, this is one of the best village level Volnay’s I’ve had, and it is my favorite village version no question. I have the De Montille Premier Crus from Volnay, but for the money, I’d buy this one every time, the latest Voillot old vine Volnay is that good and special with dark floral tones on the nose with just enough exotic spice, red berries and tangy herb to draw you into it’s fine complexities and guide you to a refined palate of black cherry, plum and red currant fruits with fine dusty chalk, crushed stone, saline and tea leaf notes along with rose water, a touch of mint, fennel and cedar. The Volnay opens with grace and silky texture, gorgeous mouth feel, even this young and with a long future ahead, there is medium body, vivid acidity, subtle briar elements, savory essences and ripe/sweet tannins that have really melded into this Burgundy in fantastic manner since last May (2014) and it shows wonderful drive and balance, drink it over the next 5 to 7 years easy, and it should be a winner all the way, best from 2016 to 2024. Thanks to importer Vintage ’59 in California for allowing to sample this sublime set of wines, again! Wow, it would be a tough choice between the pair, the Pommard might be a tick better, but this Volnay is damn good!
($70 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive