Volnay

Bitouzet-Prieur has 2.21 hectares spread across Echards, Aussy and Petits Gamets, all in the same location to the southeast of the village. The nose has a touch of spicy oak initially which gives way to a pretty, floral character and sweet red berries. The palate is rich, a product of the deep-ish soils, but with balancing acidity and succulent, dense red fruit. A forward and appetising Volnay. Drink 2020-2025.

François is keen to highlight the importance of the solidarity shown by the Côte’s vignerons at the end of April, when everyone came together to burn dampened bales and create cloud cover to ward off the frost. Without such action this could well have been another catastrophic yield. Having avoided this threat, the rest of the season was fairly straightforward with careful vineyard management and harvest began on the 30th August. He feels the whites are a mix of 2015 and 2014, while the reds are pretty and will drink well from an early age.

From one barrel in 2016 to 19 in 2017: Marco has had to bottle two barrels already to satisfy demand at the cellar door. This is beautifully lush and enticing, with notes of sloe and vanilla, the latter not from oak but creamy maturity. Drink 2019-2023.

As he felt that the tannins were riper than in 2016, Marc-Olivier (Marco) looked for greater extraction just at the start of the fermentation but, other than that, there are no major changes. Marco still uses whole-bunch when he feels it can improve the wine’s texture. Harvest started on 5th September and was finished by 15th September. He is another winemaker losing interest in zero-sulphur, feeling that the identity of the terroir can be lost without SO2’s guiding hand.

With 100 percent whole-bunch, this has a bit of grip but there is a fine core of velvety Volnay fruit. The fruit here comes from three parcels – La Gigotte, Les Famines and Les Pluchots. Although the vines have all been certified as organic since 2007, Jean-Yves only now – 10 years on – feels that they are in a condition that meets his exacting standards. Drink 2020-2024.

The village elements come from La Gigotte and Les Grands Champs, both vineyards with village and Premier Cru classification, and 40 percent of the blend is young vines from the Premier Cru Volnay-Santenots. This has lovely transparency but also lovely length; impressive. Drink 2020-2024

It is fair to say that Ben is very happy with 2017, describing it as the kind of vintage he would sign up for every year. The whites, he says, are beautiful, and not far from 2014 in style, with purity, finesse, great definition and balance. He describes the reds as pretty, appealing and with body to support ageing, while highlighting the importance of lower-yielding old vines for serious ageing. He eloquently explains that there is no “black sheep” in 2017, that no village has underperformed. For reason of space, the limited volumes of Grands Crus have not been included in this brochure. Since the 2014 vintage, all white wines are bottled under screwcap.

This is a monopole located just outside the more rustic Frémiets vineyard. Pale ruby in colour, the Clos de la Rougeotte has a lovely, lifted, red-berry nose. The palate has charming, juicy strawberry notes and a delicate structure that dances across the palate. Drink 2021-2026.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

This family-run domaine, which dates back to 1692, is currently managed by Marc Olivier, son of François, though still with help from his parents. The family had a very successful négociant business, under the name Ferdinand Buffet, until the 1930s when fortunes were lost in the great crash. Even so, there is an impressive range of Volnay (Taillepieds, Clos des Chênes, Champans, Carelles, Clos de la Rougeotte) and Pommard (Rugiens, Clos Micot, Poutures) vineyards. Marc-Olivier uses some whole bunches when he feels the vineyard is suitable, though not for young vines. The wines are matured in barrel over 22 months. Marc Olivier began harvesting on the 24th September, bringing the grapes in at natural sugar levels of between 12 and 13 degrees, but at an eye-wateringly low 10hl/ha. He explained that the vinification looked after itself, with colour and tannin coming easily, thus no need to extract. He thinks that the wines display the softness of 2015, but with a good acid structure and ripe tannins. The village Volnay was so badly hit by frost – one barrel in 2016 versus 19 in 2017 – that it does not appear in our offer. As ever, the wines here are an elegant and ethereal expression of Volnay.

This comes from one hectare of vines, split into three parcels ranging between 46 and 80 years old. There is a lovely, sweet kernel of red fruit here, along with pert, chalky tannins which are present but refined. It is typically a more structured Volnay, but the gentle Buffet style keeps things in check. Drink 2021-2026.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

This family-run domaine, which dates back to 1692, is currently managed by Marc Olivier, son of François, though still with help from his parents. The family had a very successful négociant business, under the name Ferdinand Buffet, until the 1930s when fortunes were lost in the great crash. Even so, there is an impressive range of Volnay (Taillepieds, Clos des Chênes, Champans, Carelles, Clos de la Rougeotte) and Pommard (Rugiens, Clos Micot, Poutures) vineyards. Marc-Olivier uses some whole bunches when he feels the vineyard is suitable, though not for young vines. The wines are matured in barrel over 22 months. Marc Olivier began harvesting on the 24th September, bringing the grapes in at natural sugar levels of between 12 and 13 degrees, but at an eye-wateringly low 10hl/ha. He explained that the vinification looked after itself, with colour and tannin coming easily, thus no need to extract. He thinks that the wines display the softness of 2015, but with a good acid structure and ripe tannins. The village Volnay was so badly hit by frost – one barrel in 2016 versus 19 in 2017 – that it does not appear in our offer. As ever, the wines here are an elegant and ethereal expression of Volnay.

This is from the lower part of Lurets, which is classified as village-level, and is always the last vineyard to be picked, as the fruit ripens late. It has a classic Volnay nose of pretty red fruit and flowers, while the palate has juicy strawberry fruit and crunchy, powdery tannins. Elegant and pretty. Drink 2020-2024.

After the famine of 2016, this year is something of a feast, at least in the case of the reds. Sadly, the whites, which Dominique praises as having excellent clarity, are in slightly smaller volumes than 2016. The good news is that the full range of red wines has been made, and in good volume too. Dominique is effusive in his praise for the 2017 reds, describing them as appealing, with beautiful balance, a lightness of touch, refined tannins and a floral character with stunning red fruit.

Les Aussy is a generous Premier Cru vineyard, and the 2017 characteristically offers rich and earthy red fruit, more concentration and density than the village wine and a more refined tannic structure. There is plenty of charm and approachability here, but a little more stuffing than its little brother. Drink 2021-2026. 

François is keen to highlight the importance of the solidarity shown by the Côte’s vignerons at the end of April, when everyone came together to burn dampened bales and create cloud cover to ward off the frost. Without such action this could well have been another catastrophic yield. Having avoided this threat, the rest of the season was fairly straightforward with careful vineyard management and harvest began on the 30th August. He feels the whites are a mix of 2015 and 2014, while the reds are pretty and will drink well from an early age.

Situated below Champans, François’s 0.51 hectares of vines were mostly planted in 1956, with some in 1998. The brownish, alluvial soil gives a rounded expression of Volnay with a firm backbone and generous red fruit. Drink 2021-2026.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

On the northwest edge of the village, this monopole produces surprisingly delicate wines, further enhanced by Marco’s already gentle style. All  de-stemmed this year, it’s floral and subtly seductive  in true Volnaysien style. Drink 2022-2027.


As he felt that the tannins were riper than in 2016, Marc-Olivier (Marco) looked for greater extraction just at the start of the fermentation but, other than that, there are no major changes. Marco still uses whole-bunch when he feels it can improve the wine’s texture. Harvest started on 5th September and was finished by 15th September. He is another winemaker losing interest in zero-sulphur, feeling that the identity of the terroir can

At the very north of the appellation, next to the D’Angerville monopole of Le Clos des Ducs, this is a rich wine, almost ferrous with some rusticity. Its proximity to Pommard makes it the most masculine and structured of the range, but equally gives excellent ageing potential. A total of 0.5 hectares, mostly planted from 1959 to 1974. Drink 2022-2030.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

François shows this wine at the end of the tasting, describing it as a “distant cousin” of his other Volnays; there’s a family resemblance, but the structure is more Pommard than Volnay. There is plenty of red Volnay fruit, but the brawny tannins speak of the iron-rich soils and suggest this needs time. Drink 2023-2028.

François is keen to highlight the importance of the solidarity shown by the Côte’s vignerons at the end of April, when everyone came together to burn dampened bales and create cloud cover to ward off the frost. Without such action this could well have been another catastrophic yield. Having avoided this threat, the rest of the season was fairly straightforward with careful vineyard management and harvest began on the 30th August. He feels the whites are a mix of 2015 and 2014, while the reds are pretty and will drink well from an early age.

Arguably the most complex and age-worthy wine in the cellar, this is very tight in its youth, with a little floral character poking through a muted nose before some stony minerals emerge. The palate is tightly structured with densely packed, stony tannins a touch of oak spice and some rich red fruit. This needs time to open up, but will reward those with patience. Drink 2024-2032.

François is keen to highlight the importance of the solidarity shown by the Côte’s vignerons at the end of April, when everyone came together to burn dampened bales and create cloud cover to ward off the frost. Without such action this could well have been another catastrophic yield. Having avoided this threat, the rest of the season was fairly straightforward with careful vineyard management and harvest began on the 30th August. He feels the whites are a mix of 2015 and 2014, while the reds are pretty and will drink well from an early age.

The vineyard needs no introduction, and Bitouzet-Prieur have holdings of 0.72 hectares, planted in 1971, 1983, 1997. A rocky, saline and mineral wine with great energy; it is presently incredibly closed and tightly wound, but the potential is there for a great vin de garde. Drink 2023-2035.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer