2012 Volnay

The sophomore 2012 Volnay Les Grands Poisots is a “terribly placed vineyard” according to the ever-candid Mr. Haisma, but this parcel includes particularly old gnarly vines that produce tiny bunches. Unfortunately Mark lost half the crop due to hail damage. It has a ripe and effervescent floral bouquet with vanilla-tinged strawberry and raspberry jam aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple opening. There is a good volume with voluptuous rounded dark fruit and a plush, almost decadent finish. I know what you are thinking. You are thinking: I know that name. You would probably be correct because Mark was the winemaker at the revered Yarra Yering in Australia for many years. “So what’s he doing here?” you ask. Well, Mark was bitten by the Burgundy bug for which there is no known antidote. He migrated to the region to set up a micro-negociant and released his maiden vintage made from contracted fruit back in 2007. And well received they were too, especially in the UK where he has built a loyal following based on an almost personal direct relationship fostered between winemaker and customer. You want a bottle of Mark’s wines, then you virtually e-mail him directly, a policy that tends not to work quite so successfully at say, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti. But what you get with Mark is Burgundy at its most raw. You are at the coalface alongside the winemaker (not unlike Ray Walker at Maison Ilan.) His regular mail-outs are frank and do not gloss over the challenges that he faces as an “outsider” within this closed-knit community, though I should mention his mother is French and he speaks the language fluently. But that is why people love Burgundy. Following the tasting, Mark and I went out for ‘chicken and chips’ at the local “Courtepaille”. During our meal he came across as a typical Australian: chatty, very witty, candid, full of lust for life and moreover, a person who has quite literally put everything on the line to fulfill his passion. Working out of a facility on the industrial side of Gevrey-Chambertin that he shares with another French winemaker, he prefers the spaciousness it provides rather than working out of expensive, cramped conditions in the village itself. And the bottle packaging is very clever: classic in style, beautifully presented and most importantly containing some finely crafted wine inside. One senses that Mark is still trying out new ideas, which is always a good thing, experimenting with whole cluster ferments, constantly seeking out old vines in less desirable locations. What this adds up to is a set of interesting wines made by an interesting person and to me it is no surprise that he has built such a loyal following. Quantities are very small, but then again, the prices can be very affordable. Importer: Amitie Wines – www.amitiewines.com and through several UK merchants, also directly through www.markhaisma.com