2023 Volnay Clos du Chateau des Ducs
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Tasting notes
The 2023 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs delivers aromas of cherries, dark berries and orange rind, mingled with suggestions of old oak barrels and grilled meats. Medium-bodied, primary and compact, it was late completing its malolactic fermentation and remained rather inscrutable on my visit.
Critic scores
Average Score
Matthew Hayes, jancisrobinson.com
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Monopole. First vines to be harvested. Cask sample. Quite dark ruby. A touch of carbonic gas from recently finished malolactic conversion. Open and quite flamboyant. Savoury red-cherry fruit. Serious and persistent, with a long length. (MH)
The 2023 Volnay Clos du Château des Ducs 1er Cru underwent a later malo and so had been racked just a fortnight before my visit. Despite that, it has an outstanding bouquet of beautifully defined blackcurrant and raspberry fruit laced with iris flowers. The palate was still a bit gassy, yet the fruit is very pure with a hint of licorice toward the finish. Great potential but I suspect it will require longer in bottle than Lafarge's other Premier Crus.