2006 Volnay 1er Cru

Fruit from Mitans, Pitures, and Les Angles informs the d'Angerville 2006 Volnay 1er Cru. Scents of nutmeg, cocoa powder, and a light hint of caramel reinforce the impression of sweetness conveyed by lightly-cooked dark cherry. This is quite creamy on the palate, with hints of cherry pit bitterness and nods in the directions of carnal and mineral matter offering a bit of counterpoint to the sense of sucrosity. The tannins are well-covered, and while this will probably show well for a half dozen or more years, I see no reason to defer the pleasure of its company. Like his illustrious father, Guillaume d’Angerville and estate director (and brother-in-law) Renaud de Villette have beaten the odds with their gentle art of winemaking (inter alia short maceration, no pigeage, promotion of late malo, low levels of new wood) in far more difficult vintages than 2006, so the generally high quality of their recent collection comes as no surprise. They waited until late September, and then brought in their entire crop in only five days. I have not had chance to taste the d'Angerville generic and village wines, nor their Champans it was bottled. Incidentally, this estate continues to routinely give its wines a course plaque filtration. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400