DOMAINE POULLEAU VOLNAY LES GRANDS CHAMPS ROUGE 2020

Winemaker notes

The Poulleaus sold their Premier Cru holdings to purchase a new parcel in the ‘Les Grands Champs’ climat, as they believed the quality of the fruit and the potential here would be far greater. Their 0.17 hectares are on the northern tip (bordering Premier Cru En l’Ormeau) just below the mid-slope band of Premier Cru sites, with vines averaging 80 years. Just one taste of the wine certainly vindicates the decision. It is dense and tightly coiled yet clearly expresses the silky, velvety charm indicative of Volnay, with sweet, ripe tannins. The berries are de-stemmed and gently pressed before fermentation and the wine spends a year in 225-litre French oak barriques, only 25% of which are new. The resulting wine has natural concentration and impressive breadth, but maintains the fine-boned, ‘feminine’ character so typical of the appellation. The nose is sweet and floral with a delicate spice, while the palate is awash with ripe red berry fruits, a hint of blackcurrant, and damson. The spice carries through to the long finish, which is still a little firm. This wine has an effortless appeal in its youth but will open up to impress in three years or so, and will only improve over the rest of the decade (or more).