Volnay Champans Premier Cru
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2013
The sky fell down on our heads!
What a little difference a year makes... After an arduous weather in 2012 we hoped for a serene 2013 vintage, but Nature decided otherwise!
Once again, vines, throughout the growing season and until the final maturity of the grapes, underwent all assaults of nature: long and grey winter, sullen and rainy spring, slow growth cycle, late flowering (second half of June) with coulure and millerandage and a month of July marked by violent hailstorms, especially the one on 23rd July in Côte de Beaune that has caused large crop losses (from 10% to 100 % depending on location). All these weather conditions gave way to a significant drop in production. Fortunately, warm, dry, sunny August and soft and slightly damp September allowed the small amount of grapes to mature by the beginning of October. Nevertheless, we had to remain vigilant and very flexible facing the botrytis development on Chardonnay. Picking began on 2nd October, confirming 2013 as a late harvest vintage.
The overall quality of the wines is not affected by these weather disturbances. Red wines are dense with pronounced black fruit on the palate featuring refreshing spicy notes, ripe and digestible tannins. White wines are surprisingly aromatic with notes of yellow fruits, candied citrus and dried fruits, and vibrant and lively finish embracing beautiful structure on the palate.
Grape Variety & Plot size
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir on a 0.35 hectare plot
Terroir
The wines of Volnay are famous for their great finesse. The name of the climat "Les Champans" is derived the fact that this plot is fairly steep - which means good sun exposure and thus good ripening.
The soil has more clay than limestone, and produces firm wines with silky tannin.Vinification & Ageing
The grapes were handpicked into small crates, then sorted and totally destemmed. The wine stayed on the skins for 20 days in temperature-controlled open oak vats. Pigeage (punching down the cap) was done twice a day during alcoholic fermentation.
100% malolactic fermentation
Entirely aged in oak barrels
Duration of barrel ageing: 17 monthsTasting Notes
Tasted in November 2015
COLOUR: Deep ruby red.
NOSE: Liquorice, tobacco and leather notes.
PALATE: Berries with grains, green pepper, cherry-stone. Thick and dense tannins.
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