VOLNAY

Localization : Côte de Beaune
Total vineyard area : 242 ha. of which 115 Premier Cru
Varieties and types of wine : Pinot Noir exclusively, producing red wine; however the white wines (Chardonnay) from the "Climat" of Santenots can be called Meursault Premier Cru or Meursault Santenots, just like the red wines (Pinot Noir) from the Village of Meursault in the heart of the "Climat" of Santenots can be called Volnay Santenots.
Classification : Villages, Premier Cru

Premier Cru "Climats" :

Chanlins : Named the owners as early as 1892 by Messrs Danguy and Aubertin, in their book Les Grands Vins de Bourgogne, Bouchard Père & Fils hold 0.44 hectare in this "Appellation" just next to Pommard.

Frémiets-Clos de la Rougeotte : Named as early as 1892 by Messrs Danguy and Aubertin, in their book Les Grands Vins de Bourgogne, as the owners, Bouchard Père & Fils holds all the land here. The plot is called " Clos de la Rougeotte " because in the autumn, the leaves of the vines here turn red earlier than the neighbouring plots. A Bouchard Père & Fils monopoly, the " Clos de la Rougeotte " reveals exquisite harmony between flesh and body.

Les Caillerets : There is a saying that "he who has no vines in Cailleret, does not know what Volnay is worth". Qualified as "tête de cuvée" in the 1855 list by Docteur Lavalle (Histoire et Statistiques de la vigne des Grands Vins de la Côte d'Or), this "Appellation" is the very example of finesse, elegance and grace. Bouchard Père & Fils owns 4 hectares of this exceptional Premier Cru situated on a thin layer of chalky-clay soil on a plateau of cracked rock. It produces wines with an exquisite bouquet and aromas of fruit and spice with a perfect harmony between structure and elegance. Rich, complex, Volnay Caillerets is a voluptuous wine.

Les Caillerets-Clos des 60 Ouvrées

En Chevret : Bouchard Père & Fils owns 0.24 ha. of this "Climat" situated below les Caillerets not far from Meursault. This "Climat" gives the Premier Cru delicacy, good aromatic expression and great elegance.

Taillepieds : Renowned for the generosity of its fruit and great finesse ; the "Climat" les Taillepieds can sometimes be fiery, softening with age. Maison Bouchard Père & Fils owns 1.10 ha. of this Premier Cru which is said to take its name from its geographical position on a steep slope on which one used to get one's feet cut. (Les Lieux-dits dans le vignoble bourguignon written by Marie-Hélène Landrieu-Lussigny, 1983).

Clos du Verseuil

Clos des Chênes : Owner of 0,85 hectare on this appellation situated on chalky clay soil on chalk sub-soil, Bouchard Père & Fils only produces just over 4000 bottles per year of this Premier Cru situated not far from Taillepieds. Usually Volnay Clos des Chênes combines richness and generosity without losing the reputed elegance and finesse of Volnay.

Santenots (on the territory of Meursault)

Volnay has always been a favourite of Bouchard Père & Fils. It was here that Michel Bouchard founded a wine business in 1731 before his son moved to Beaune about twenty years later. The book of 1892 by Messrs Danguy and Aubertin (Les Grands Vins de Bourgogne) says of Bouchard Père & Fils that "The estate is composed of large handsome vineyards of the first order; their wines have always been reputed to be some of the best in Volnay" and that "for the past 30 years, the harvest from the estate has been known as cuvée Carnot from the name of the former owner, Madame Carnot, great grand daughter of the founder of Bouchard Père & Fils". The name is still used for the land in les Caillerets.

The wines of Volnay have always been known and renowned for their finesse, their purity and bouquet. Their superiority has been famous for centuries. The land, admirably exposed with a magnificent view, was chosen by the Dukes of Burgundy for their country house in the 11th century. In the book by Abbé Courtepée Description historique et topographique du Duché de Bourgogne (1775-1788) one can read that in 1250 Hugues IV Duke of Burgundy built a castle there and that the dukes and duchesses liked to stay there for its pleasant surroundings, beautiful perspective, the pure air and the excellent wines.

Of Celtic origin, the research on the ground at Volnay shows numerous traces of Roman occupation. At an altitude of between 200 and 300 metres, the ferruginous chalk is covered in brownish red silt. The slope favours drainage, the gravel ensures permeability and the percentage of clay determines the richness in assimilable elements. The Volnay wines have elegance and finesse. They are feminine but have character, and are often called the ladies' Pommard.

Photographic credit : Dominique Pernin