Wine Advisor
Marquis d'Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs 1995
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Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1995 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs was described as "sometimes, a great surprise" by Guillaume d'Angerville - which is exactly what this was. Clearly riper on the nose than the '96, the fruit redder in profile with luscious wild strawberry, quince and red plum scents, edging towards kirsch-like scents with aeration, this is just a gorgeous Clos des Ducs to simply nose. The palate is very fleshy, almost corpulent in the mouth, almost viscous in texture with an elegant, saline finish. This is just divine with the substance to suggest another 15 to 20 years service.
Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani
As is obvious from my scores, I absolutely adored d'Angerville's two top wines. Offering a gorgeous, saturated black/purple color, the Volnay Clos Des Ducs has a sublime nose of violets, roses, and super-ripe plums, cherries and blueberries. Full-bodied, oily-textured and impressively concentrated, this wine has a mouth-watering core of Asian spices, fresh herbs, and deeply sweet red and black fruits. Its purity, precision and elegance are simply mindboggling. Bravo! Projected maturity: 1999-2010. As always, ratings with a score in parentheses indicate the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Jacques, Marquis d'Angerville is, without a doubt, one of the finest producers in Burgundy. However, prior to working in the retail wine trade I firmly believed that he did not deserve his reputation. I rapidly came to realize that the wines I had been purchasing had often been damaged by careless shipping or storage somewhere en route from his cellars to Washington, DC. Charming, sensitive and intelligent, the Marquis produces beautifully concentrated and superbly elegant wines. Furthermore, when properly shipped and cellared, they can age gracefully for well over a decade. Importer: Chateaux and Estates Wine Co., New York, NY; Tel; (212) 572-7725.
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.
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