2008 Bouchard Père & Fils Volnay Clos des Chenes 1er Cru

Representing one of their few stragglers to go through malo very late, Bouchard’s 2008 Volnay Clos des Chenes was still in tank when I tasted it. Maritime scents of salt, kelp, along with green tea, fresh purple plum and brown spices segue into a silken yet bright palate of striking crustacean-like salinity and hints of iodine mark its sweetness as much of lobster shell reduction as of fruits or berries. Without quite the lift or vibrancy of the corresponding Caillerets, this is nonetheless long, energetic, and fine. I would expect it to keep well for 12-15 years. I did not taste the 2008 Volnay Taillepieds, of which there are now a mere 125 cases, fruit formerly on contract from de Montille having recently reverted to that domaine. Director-winemaker Philippe Prost made no attempt to minimize the challenges of 2008 and was careful to distinguish between its wind-borne concentration and genuinely ideal phenolic maturity (approached more nearly this year in white than red). He opined that the wide window afforded for relaxed picking despite the late calendar date was critical, since the levels of ripeness were so disparate from one site to another. That said, he showed me an outstanding collection of Pinots. Ironically, as he pointed out, ripeness was also disparate in one of the two earliest vintages on record, 2007, yet picking – while fitful – was anything but relaxed due to the pressure of rot. And here, too, Bouchard scored excellent successes. By means of, where necessary, “swapping lees” between barrels to inoculate stubborn lots, Prost says he was able to get all of his 2008s through malo-lactic conversion in timely fashion, which he considers especially important with Pinot. Bottling of the 2008 reds – with a few exceptions mentioned in my notes and due to have been bottled in April – took place in December and January, the same schedule adopted for their 2007s. I did not have an opportunity to taste nearly all of Bouchard’s vast collection from either vintage, and have in the text of my notes indicated a few from among their 2008s that I take to represent significant omissions. (I have not noted “Domaine” to distinguish those wines that are part of the Bouchard, except in cases where there is another otherwise eponymous wine.) Importer: Henriot, Inc, New York, NY; tel. (212) 605-6767