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2003 Michel Lafarge Volnay Clos du Chateau des Ducs

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Latest Sale Price

February 25, 2024 - $155

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RATINGS

91Stephen Tanzer

Expressive nose offers redcurrant, minerals, coffee and menthol. Sweet, juicy and tangy, with much more lift and energy in the middle than the Vendanges Selectionnees. Here the tannins are broad and horizontal and arrive later.

89-92Burghound.com

A superbly elegant and very pure nose of ripe red small berry fruits, subtle earth, clove, anise and underbrush merges into intense, sweet and superbly precise flavors that are the epitome of a high class Volnay.

88-90The Wine Advocate

REGION

France, Burgundy, Côte d'Or, Côte de Beaune, Volnay, Clos Des Ducs

Volnay is a small appellation with just 904 vineyard acres and a town of fewer than 500 residents. Nevertheless, to Burgundy enthusiasts, it's a jewel. Clive Coates calls Volnay “one of the most delightful wines and one of the most rewarding communes in the Côte d’Or.” Robert M. Parker Jr. described Volnay as “the queen of the Côte de Beaune.” Volnay has always been appealing. In the 13th and 14th centuries the powerful Dukes of Burgundy acquired land there and built chateaux. The medieval town sits on the hillside above the vineyards and the appellation is restricted to red wines made of Pinot Noir. Though there are no Grands Crus, there are 35 Premiers Crus. Some reviewers say the lighter soil of Volnay, compared with Pommard to the north, makes Volnay wines more delicate and elegant than wines from neighboring appellations. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that Volnay has a “high-quality level of winemaking…The top Volnays possess an immense, seductive fruitiness and lushness…”

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir, 1er (Premier) Cru

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.