2018 Domaine de Montille, Volnay Premier Cru, Taille Pieds

For reports and full tasting notes, go toTim Atkin MW's website.

Vinified entirely with whole clusters, de Montille's 2018 Volnay 1er Cru Les Taillepieds delivers a lovely bouquet of orange rind, dark berries, peonies, baking chocolate and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, this is a lively and serious wine, underpinned by a muscular chassis of rich, powdery tannin.

The 2018 Volnay Les Taillepieds 1er Cru is better on the nose than its peers. Lifted blackberry, raspberry and sous-bois aromas become more floral with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit and some stem addition that does not quite assimilate towards the finish, as if there are two Volnays competing in the same glass. That might resolve itself with time in bottle… we will see. Still an intriguing proposition. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

Cask sample. Deep crimson. Rather fruity and rich on the nose and then some savour and integrity on the palate. Precise, a little chewy at this stage, but convincing. Lots of fruit in the middle. (JR)