2015 Volnay Clos des Chenes

Tasted blind, the 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes is utterly superb, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet of raw cocoa, rose petal, orange rind and red berries that's already very nuanced. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and incredibly deep, with supple, satiny tannins, juicy acids and considerable concentration. Tasted among its peers, this Clos des Chênes is in a different class and confirms its status as one of a small handful of red wines of the vintage in the Côte de Beaune. It's a profound Volnay that will be incredibly long-lived.

Bright medium red. Tighter on the nose than the Clos du Château des Ducs, with a minty topnote to the aromas of red berries and spices; a note of red cherry liqueur emerged with air. Superconcentrated and tactile but extremely unevolved; a more masculine style than the Clos du Château des Ducs, showing little of that wine's early sweetness. More tannic and even a touch youthfully angular on the back end, but finishes with palate-staining saline minerality and outstanding building length. This, too, will require significant patience.