2011 Marchand-Tawse Volnay, 1.5ltr

Marchand-Tawse is a micro-negociant founded in 2011 by a pair of Canadians with long-time ties to Burgundy and fine winemaking. Quebec native Pascal Marchand moved to Burgundy in 1983 to make wine for estates including Comte Armand’s Clos des Epeneaux and Domaine de la Vougeraie. Fellow Canadian Moray Tawse is a banker and financier who founded a winery in Niagara before also going into business with Pascal Marchand in Burgundy. Together they have acquired village, premier cru and grand cru parcels, and in 2012 purchased the famous Gevrey-Chambertin estate Domaine Maume. The estate makes 8,000 to 10,000 cases a year.

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…”

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.