2012 Volnay Santenots du Milieu

The 2012 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-de-Milieu (of which Francois is re-planting the bottom section) produced – wait for it – eight hectoliters per hectare due to hail and the old vines with a propensity for poor flowering. It has a very pure bouquet with perfumed dark plum and raspberry scents intertwined with minerals. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins exerting a gentle grip. There is plenty of dark berry fruit with a slight lactic edge toward the generous finish. This is very pretty, but it will deserve a decade in bottle. Just two barrels made compared to the usual seven or eight. I have been visiting Francois Mikulski for a number of years. This is a reliable address for Meursault, although like numerous others his crops were depleted in 2012, resulting in the absence of some of this cuvees including some of his Meursault village crus that were blended together. Hail was also significant, reducing Volnay Santenots down to a negligible eight hectoliters per hectare. I tasted his wines from pre-blended bottles that were as close to the final blend as Francois could estimate. Importer: A Becky Wasserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet; fax 011- 333-80-24-29-70