Wines from Volnay

Less than a mile south of Pommard and situated high up on the vine covered slopes of the Chaignot hill, lies the pretty hamlet of Volnay, a name evocative of red Burgundy. Its 230 Hectares under vine consist of a very high number of Premier Cru’s – almost half the commune is dedicated to this finer classification.

The topography of Volnay gives it a uniqueness and difference from its near neighbour. The slopes are steeper and generally face south east, rather than east, as the majority of Pommard’s vines do. This sunnier aspect gives much needed richness and a sweeter character generally compared to Pommard, and the tannins are more finely laced, if no less impressive in youth. The soils differ widely here too, with Oolitic limestone at the top of the slope, travelling down through swathes of schist and marl toward thicker beds of scraped white Argovian limestone, and then into clay and gravel. The mesoclimates all favour separation, hence the dominance of Premier Cru’s all carved into the hillsides, and often identified by the enclosure within small rambling stone walls.