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Description
Tasting notes

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2010 Volnay Clos des Ducs is a wonderfully complete wine. Layers of sculpted, chiseled fruit flow gracefully as the Clos des Ducs opens up in the glass. Dark red cherries, licorice, spices and cedar are given an attractive lift by the expressive floral notes that are woven throughout. This is a beautifully centered, poised wine that impresses for its purity and focus.

Reviewed by: Jay McInerney
Harvested 23-27 September: Heavy reduction on the nose makes this difficult to appreciate at first, but as the reduction blows off it is easier to savor the beautiful red and black fruit underneath. The 2010 is a very structured Ducs. I don’t expect it to drink early, but it should be a great bottle by 2025.

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good medium red. Captivating aromas of black cherry, dark raspberry, minerals and flowers have shed the reductive character that made this wine difficult to taste shortly after the bottling. Juicy, penetrating and wonderfully elegant, delivering outstanding flavor intensity without any impression of heaviness. Red berry, red cherry and flowers dominate the middle palate, with an element of saline minerality expanding with air. Really stains the palate and titillates the salivary glands on the very long, rising finish. This wine is so well-balanced that it's delicious right now, but it has the solidity, sappiness and tannic structure for a slow and graceful evolution in the cellar. A transcendent premier cru. (14.1% alcohol; September 23 harvest; 3.5 pH; a major attack of oidium in Clos des Ducs in August resulted in a crop level of just 19 hectoliters per hectare, according to Angerville, who noted that the younger vines in the upper part of the vineyard were particularly affected)

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good bright red, a bit less saturated than the Champans. A whiff of smoky reduction dissipates to reveal aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, herbs and underbrush. Thick, creamy and highly concentrated, conveying an impression of solidity but with outstanding lift too. A seriously tannic and deep Volnay with a big structure and outstanding length. This one calls for a decade or more of cellaring.

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(just 20% new oak for these premier crus): Good full red. Cherry, raspberry, flowers and espresso on the nose, punctuated by a peppery nuance. Concentrated and thick yet somehow weightless, communicating a strong, sappy impression of dry extract. Saturates the palate with vibrant fruits and flowers. Compellingly rich, lively Volnay with outstanding persistence.

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2010 Volnay Clos des Ducs is a wonderfully complete wine. Layers of sculpted, chiseled fruit flow gracefully as the Clos des Ducs opens up in the glass. Dark red cherries, licorice, spices and cedar are given an attractive lift by the expressive floral notes that are woven throughout. This is a beautifully centered, poised wine that impresses for its purity and focus. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040. The 2010s from Marquis d’Angerville are stellar. They are the product of a year that saw yields lowered by 40-50% on average. It was quite a shock to see the domain’s cellars with so few barrels in them. As always, the wines were made with fully de-stemmed fruit. I will report on the 2009s in the April issue. Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa CA; tel. (707) 299-2600
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.