Wine Advisor
Marquis d'Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru Champans 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Champans has a very charming, very pure and seductive bouquet with copious blackberry, raspberry preserve and limestone scents. With a few swirls of the glass it become floral and even more enticing. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. It it not as generous as the bouquet at the moment, but there is purity and verve here, very sophisticated and showing immense precision on the finish. I can imagine this being backward for 3-5 years after bottling, so be prepared to cellar this and reap the rewards later.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Champans is superb, wafting from the glass with notes of cassis, red cherry, raspberry and candied peel that is still very fruit driven, savory nuances only emerging with extended aeration. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful and muscular, with an authoritative chassis of fine-grained but firm tannins and a deep core of crunchy fruit. This is shutting down, but it's full of promise for the future.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Champans is superb, wafting from the glass with notes of cassis, red cherry, raspberry and candied peel that is still very fruit driven, savory nuances only emerging with extended aeration. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful and muscular, with an authoritative chassis of fine-grained but firm tannins and a deep core of crunchy fruit. This is shutting down, but it's full of promise for the future.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(13.5% alcohol): Saturated ruby. Youthfully imploded aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis and licorice show no roasted character ("the color of the wine is the only thing that gives away the vintage," noted Guillaume d'Angerville). More pliant than the 2016 but with a magical sugar/acid equilibrium and a complicating element of savory minerality. This insidiously palate-saturating wine finishes with outstanding slatey persistence and grip. I would imagine that this will be long-lived but will it ever really shut down in the bottle? It's hard to imagine that this fruit was harvested on September 4.
About the Producer
History Domaine Marquis D'Angerville began in the 19th century. In 1804, Baron du Mesnil, the sub-prefect of Autun in Burgundy commune acquires property Clos des Ducs in Volnay - the heart of the appellation Côte de Beaune. Surrounding areas were formerly part of the famous vineyards of Burgundy Dukes Taillepieds, Caillerets and Champans. After the phylloxera epidemic, devastating vineyards in the late 19th century, the nephew and godson Baron du Mesnil, Marquis Sam d'Arzhenvy begins restoration of historic vineyards, re-planting of Pinot Noir grapes. A staunch supporter of "authentic wines" d'Arzhenvy opposes corrupt wine merchants, whose reputation is not always perfect. He becomes the first manufacturer in the region of bottled wines, independently engaged and their subsequent implementation. Due to its unwavering commitment to quality and authenticity of the products d'Arzhenvy Sam was one of the founders of the National Institute of Origin and Quality (l'Institut National des Appellations d'Origine, (INAO)). Son of Sam d'Arzhenvy Jacques d'Arzhenvy, created his first vintage in 1945, and in 1952 he takes control of the estate. Following the tradition of Domaine Marquis d'Angerville, Jacques convinced that all the great wines are produced directly in the vineyards, and their success depends on the quality and the low yields of old vines. This approach, according to him, is more reasonable and effective than the "green fee" or thinning. Thus, after decades of observations and work on the selection of the best examples of Pinot Noir, the family d'Angerville received special honor to grow Pinot Noir under the naming "Pinot d'Angerville". From 1982 to 1987, Jacques d'Arzhenvy is chairman and honorary president of the Wine Academy of France. Throughout his life he devoted to the creation of the great wines of Volnay. After his father's death in 2003 his son William took control of the estate d'Arzhenvy in their hands, keeping the tradition of the manor transition from generation to generation. Currently he helps agronomist Renaud de Villette, who worked with Jacques d'Arzhenvy for fifteen years.
