2011 Volnay

The 2011 Volnay, from young vines in Santenots, is juicy and immediate, but then loses a bit of depth on the mid-palate, which causes the tannins to stick out a bit. Hints of blue/blackish fruit, licorice and menthol add nuance on the close. The Volnay is a bit rough around the edges in 2011.

(13.5% alcohol without chaptalization): Good dark red. Black cherry and chocolatey high tones on the nose; the only one of these 2011s to hint at a roasted quality. Broad and silky in the mouth but drier and less energetic than the Monthelie. Finishes with dusty tannins. A bit heavy for my taste.

The 2011 Volnay Village was bottled around the end of April. It has a very attractive bouquet that seems more restrained relative to Dominique’s previous vintages. The palate is rounded and fleshy: plump in the mouth with ripe cherries and boysenberry fruit with a tingle of white pepper poking up on the finish. This is nicely poised and approachable Volnay. Drink now-2016. It was great to see Dominique Lafon three weeks after meeting him in Macon, this time back in Meursault. That semi-pornographic, licentious wine advertisement still hung on the office wall (those that have been there know what I mean) and a cigarette butt drooped from Dominique’s mouth, possibly the same one he lit when I bid him farewell back in Macon. If you added up all the charisma and charm in Bordeaux it still would amount to less than Dominique Lafon. I have tasted at this address for over a decade, but this marked the first time I had been presented his complete set of Premier Cru Meursault wines since his acquisition from Domaine Manuel with Jean-Marc Roulot. He remarked that possibly with the exception of a negociant, he is the only vigneron with all six top-tier Premier Crus south of the village. Dominique opened his full range of 2011s, including the Montrachet, which he avowed to polish off with a fish supper that night. How I would have loved to join him. Needless to say, this was an exemplary set of 2011s that do not disappoint. While like many others he concedes that 2010s have the upper hand and are likely to outlive them, he admires the 2011s for their approachability and charm. Importer: Becky Wassermann Selections (Le Serbet); www.leserbet.com