Bouchard Père & Fils : Volnay 1er cru "Caillerets - Ancienne Cuvée Carnot" Domaine 2020

Upfront floral and licorice aromas, but it needs some aeration for the red berries to emerge. A rich and fleshy wine for this appellation that’s associated with silky elegance. Crisp tannins and lively acidity keep this bright. Needs some time to settle down and open up. From a 3.76-hectare plot in this well known 1er Cru. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2023.

This was the company's very first acquisition. Mid slope. Maturity arrives fast and winemaker Frédéric Weber is very keen to avoid overripeness. It's usually the first plot to be picked. He says it's his most delicate Volnay because of the richness of the limestone so vinification has to be delicate. Mid crimson. Spicy nose but not too sweet. Very fresh palate entry with a suggestion of woodland ferns. Clean as a whistle and really rather admirable. Long. Seriously refreshing, which is not that common in 2020 reds. Real texture here. (JR)

The 2020 Volnay Les Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot 1er Cru has a perfumed, more floral bouquet with greater fruit intensity than Boillot's Chevret. Sous-bois nuances percolate through the red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. Again, it feels like quite a lot of whole clusters, but the stems slightly occlude the terroir expression on the finish. Maybe just a little cork taint? Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.

More supple than Taillepieds, it surprises with the firmness of its tannin compared to the fluidity of the texture, a perfect example of the unique character of this vintage in the Côte de Beaune.

Plummy with hints of spice, vanilla, and underbrush on the nose, this wine reveals a deep, seductive layer of rose. Silky in texture, and still evolving, the palate gently displays pure black cherry notes, hinting at additional complexities that will develop with cellaring. Hold through 2035+.