2023 Jean-Marc Bouley - Volnay Vieilles Vignes (750ml) [PRE ARRIVAL]
When Jean-Marc Bouley started his domaine in Volnay in 1974, he had just two hectares and one ambition: to put his wines among the best in Volnay and Pommard. He built the estate up by buying well-placed parcels in both villages. The 2002 vintage, when his son Thomas joined, is widely seen as a turning point. Thomas, who has run the domaine since 2012, focuses on the vineyards. He prunes and trains the vines to carry only six to eight well-spaced bunches each, which keeps yields naturally low and lets sun and air reach the fruit.
The Vieilles Vignes comes from less than a hectare of vines planted in 1935 and 1959, spread over five parcels just below the premier cru Carelles. The southeast-facing plots have shallow soil, about a meter deep and rich in iron, over rock. It’s a warm, sheltered site that gets sun all day and almost no wind, and it produces one of the richest wines in the domaine’s range. The vines are farmed without herbicides or chemical fertilizers.
The 2023 opens with fresh red and black cherry, Morello cherry and earthy spice. The palate has a generous core of fruit, fine tannins and bright acidity. Try it with roast duck or game birds.