2013 Domaine Michel Lafarge, Volnay Premier Cru, Clos du Chateau des Ducs

The 2013 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Chateau des Ducs has a tightly would bouquet with brambly red fruit, blackberry leaf and granitic scents that waft reluctantly from the glass. The palate is very well structured with a keen line of acidity, ebullient red cherry and strawberry fruit with delineated, very focused and long in the mouth. Excellent.

Good bright red. Pure but closed nose suggests spicy oak and small wild red fruits. Generous in texture but quite reserved and hard to taste today, with black fruit and menthol flavors showing excellent verve. The wine's serious tannins coat the entire mouth and will need time to knit with the intense fruit.

Old calcaire soils and quite brown. Deep gravel on top of calcaire. Very refined. Juicy and sinewy. Enormous class. (JR)