2022 Yvon Clerget - Volnay Clos du Verseuil (750ml)

Thibaud Clerget, the twenty-eighth generation of his family to farm in Volnay since 1268, completed his studies at Beaune's Lycée Viticole in 2012, then honed his craft on vintages in New Zealand, Oregon, and the Côte de Nuits before returning home to take over the family domaine in 2015. Under his direction the estate has built a reputation for precise, terroir-driven Pinot Noir, anchored by its most storied holding, the walled monopole of Clos du Verseuil.

Purchased by the family in 1936 and sitting just below the old Château de Volnay, Clos du Verseuil covers a mere 0.68 hectares adjacent to the prized Taillepieds vineyard. Its rows run north to south, an orientation shared with sites like Clos de Tart and La Tâche, shading the fruit and preserving freshness. The grapes are fully destemmed and the wine aged in barrel with roughly a quarter to a third new oak.

The bouquet is complex, layering red cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry with rose petal, spice, and forest floor. The palate is refined, with silky tannins, bright acidity, and a delicate mineral edge running through a long, graceful finish. Try it with braised rabbit, roasted pheasant, or a young Brie.