Volnay Champans Premier Cru
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2010: a small crop of beautiful grapes
After an interminably long, cold winter, proper spring weather set in during the month of April with above-average temperatures that enabled the vines to start growing quickly. Bud break took place over just a few days around the 20th of April. The poor, cool weather in June caused a great deal of coulure (shot berries) and flowering was upset as a result. The first two weeks of July were warm and sunny. Véraison (colour change) began at the usual time in mid-August, but lasted for several weeks due to rain and cool temperatures. The grapes took their time to ripen. Fortunately, sunny weather returned in early September and lasted for three weeks. A small crop with undersized berries and well-aerated bunches made it possible to maintain the fruit in good, healthy condition and obtain good ripeness. However, it took a great deal of reflection before deciding when to pick each plot. We did not react in a panic-stricken way to what was wrongly described as deterioration of the grapes!
Grape Variety & Plot size
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir on a 0.35 hectare plot
Terroir
The wines of Volnay are famous for their great finesse. The name of the climat "Les Champans" is derived the fact that this plot is fairly steep - which means good sun exposure and thus good ripening.
The soil has more clay than limestone, and produces firm wines with silky tannin.Vinification & Ageing
The grapes were handpicked into small crates, then sorted and totally destemmed. The wine stayed on the skins for 21 days in temperature-controlled open oak vats. Pigeage (punching down the cap) was done twice a day during alcoholic fermentation.
100% malolactic fermentation
Entirely aged in oak barrels
Duration of barrel ageing: 15 monthsTasting Notes
Tasted in November 2012
COLOUR: Dark ruby-red.
NOSE: Berry fruit (raspberry), showing gunflint and tobacco nuances with aeration.
PALATE: Fresh crunchy fruit (cherry, cherry pit). Refined, fresh, tasty tannin.
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