2018 Volnay Champans
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2018 Volnay Champans 1er Cru comes across stubbornly backward on the nose despite coaxing. This feels a little serious and lacks the vivacity of their Santenots-du-Milieu. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red and black fruit, fine acidity, nicely structured and unequivocally showing more vivacity than the aromatics at present. Perhaps afford this another 18-24 months in bottle? Fine. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.
Critic scores
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru has a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, well defined though backward, so that you have to eke out the enticing raspberry, black currant, iodine and violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with juicier, fatter tannins than the Clos des Chênes. Ripe and vivacious, this is extremely persistent on the finish and feels very complete. I love it. Superb.
The 2018 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru, tasted from a used barrel, has a tad more depth and amplitude compared to the Clos des Chênes, and magnificent precision. The palate is silky-smooth with finely tuned acidity, sensual for a Volnay, although I find the Clos des Chênes has a little more edginess.