Wine Advisor
Marquis d'Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2009 Volnay Clos des Ducs is a wonderful foil to the Champans. Here the wine is quite a bit more introspective, with a flavor profile that moves towards the darker end of the spectrum. Hints of menthol, spices and licorice add complexity on the long, intensely building finish. The Clos des Ducs is a marvelously complete wine, but it will require patience. Tasted from tank. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039. The harvest at d’Angerville started on September 9. Guillaume d’Angerville told me that in recent years he has doubled the number of pickers with the goal of harvesting all of the fruit in just a few days. The fruit was 100% destemmed. Cuvaison started with 3-4 days of cold maceration at a modestly cool temperature followed by two weeks on the skins with no punchdowns and a generally soft approach to extraction. After pressing, the wines were moved into barrel. The estate did one racking after the malos. New oak was on average 20-25%. In 2009 the estate completed a conversion to biodynamic farming started in 2006. Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa CA; tel. (707) 299-2600
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This has a wonderful, well-defined bouquet with redcurrant, raspberry and a touch of limestone. The palate has fine, quite assertive tannins on the entry, ripe raspberry, redcurrant and cranberry leaf, building nicely to a structured, long-term finish. Regal. Tasted January 2011.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2009 Volnay Clos Des Ducs is the only wine in this lineup that is playing its cards close to the vest. Weightless yet powerful, the Clos des Ducs impresses for its striking balance and poise. There is so much going on in the glass its hard to know where to start. Floral notes meld into hints of licorice, sweet red cherries and mint in this crystalline, totally gorgeous Volnay. Today the tannins are impossibly firm, so readers will have to be patient. This is far from an easygoing 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029. I tasted the 2009s from D’Angerville twice recently, once at the winery in December 2011 and a second time in my office in New York. The Volnay, Volnay 1er and Volnay Champans were all less impressive than the first time I tasted those wines, just after botting. Time will tell if the wines are going through a closed phase today, or if I overrated them the first time around. Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa CA; tel. (707) 299-2600
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Good medium red; a bit less saturated than the 2010. More spicy and exotic on the nose than the '10, with its raspberry and mineral aromas joined by a light herbal element. Enters the mouth with silky richness, then turns juicy in the mid-palate, showing a very suave texture and surprising framing acidity to its flavors of liqueur-like red fruits and dried flowers. Quite powerful and long, finishing with serious late-arriving tannins. This is built for a long evolution in bottle. Guillaume d'Angerville told me that this wine "started out huge, but then the élevage gave it focus," whereas the 2008 Clos des Ducs "began lean and got richer." (13.55% alcohol; September 13 harvest; 40 h/h; 3.66 pH)
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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