2013 Volnay Clos des Chenes

Bouley's 2013 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes is beginning to drink brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with a deep and complex bouquet of wild berries, peonies, sweet spices and subtle soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, deep and complete, with lively acids and powdery structure, it's seamless and complete, with wonderful purity of fruit and fully mature tannins in this October harvest. If its evolution is a pathfinder for more recent vintages of this bottling, readers with those wines in their cellars have much to look forward to.

The 2013 Volnay Clos des Chênes 1er Cru has a fragrant and quite mineral-driven bouquet that is well-defined, ebullient raspberry and cranberry scents emerging with aeration. The palate is nicely balanced with quite firm tannin, a little savory in style with plenty of sous-bois on the peppery/dried blood finish. Very fine, if not quite at the level I predicted from barrel. Tasted at Goedhuis & Co.'s annual Burgundy tasting in London.

Mid cherry red. Smoky, spicy dark-red fruit. Dry and savoury on the palate. Paper-fine texture but the structure dominates the fruit at the moment. Much more to come. A dark horse rather than a crowd pleaser. (JH)