2014 Volnay Caillerets
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Tasting notes
(just one 500-liter new barrel made, from a yield of 28 hectoliters per hectare): Good medium red. A deep vanilla note from the oak dissipated quickly to reveal scents of red berries and rose petal, plus a whiff of mint. Spicier and larger-scaled than the Taillepieds, with the red cherry and raspberry fruit flavors coming up nicely with aeration and joined by an element of saline minerality. Some oak tannins frame the finish. No shortage of energy or structure here but I find the Taillepieds more delicate and detailed, not to mention more discreet on the aftertaste.
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Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(in cuve ; Bitouzet normally ages his premier crus in 25% new oak, but there was just a single new 500-liter barrel of this juice in 2014): Bright, dark red. Very ripe cherry and raspberry aromas are complemented by smoky minerality and an element of sexy brown spices from the new barrel. Fat, silky and sweet on the attack, then seamless in the mid-palate, with harmonious acidity providing shape to the slightly jammy black fruit and spice flavors. Comes across as riper and rounder than the Taillepieds but less subtle. I almost hate to say it but I like the oak here. Finishes juicy, vivacious and long, with firm tannins covered by fruit.