Guillaume laughed telling me, "A retired Air France pilot recently bought the house just above the clos. He told me one day that the vines are very beautifully trained." Indeed, it is a beautiful, southeast facing vineyard, spanning 2.15 hectares and sitting beside the domaine. The wine starts with a subtly smoky nose complemented with dark fruits and heady savory spices. The tannins feel fairly soft and furry, while the acidity is racy, precise and mouthwatering. Sheer class
95 Charles Curtis MW - Decanter Magazine
This wine is inevitably among the great wines from d'Angerville's cellar, but it takes a while to get there. Out of barrel, it lacks the generosity of the Champans; Guillaume d'Angerville opines that it is more 'Cistercian'; by this, he perhaps means more strict, linear, and disciplined. It is substantial and has an admirable depth of flavour, with aromas of currant and plum developing on the palate with hints of cigar leaf, cedar, and earth. Ideally wait seven to 10 years from the vintage to open and drink over the next 20.
Product Description:
The iconic d'Angerville family has long been at the forefront of Volnay winemaking, and a progressive force in Burgundy wine as a whole. Jacques d'Angerville arguably did the most to solidify his family name, as he masterfully showcased the merits of minimalist winemaking for the roughly 50 years that he ran the estate. Jacques' predecessor, Sem d'Angerville, took the first step forward and embraced domaine bottling of the estate's wines, and the whole estate was recently brought into biodynamic management in 2009 under the care of the current Marquis, Guillaume d'Angerville, and vineyard manager Francois Duvivier.
Long before low-intervention winemaking was hip, d'Angerville was letting the vineyards speak for themselves by taking a minimalist approach in the cellar. The choice to maximize the expression of terroir with a hands-off approach may seem obvious when working with plantings of their own "Pinot d'Angerville" clone on some of the most coveted sites in Volnay. Other than destemming, some temperature control during fermentation, and pump-over cap management, the bulk of the fermentation and elevage is allowed to proceed naturally. It is no surprise that d'Angerville's wines continue to be the most storied and sought after reds of Volnay as the family has not only upkept their tradition of great winemaking, but proceeds to enhance the estate production by embracing natural methods in both the vineyard and cellar.
