Domaine Michel Lafarge, Volnay Premier Cru, Clos du Chateau des Ducs 2017

The 2017 Volnay Clos du Château des Ducs is completely de-stemmed by hand this year, which took just over 30 hours according to Frédéric Lafarge. It has a very pure bouquet with redcurrant, wild strawberry, crushed stone and light rose petal aromas, more feminine than the Clos des Chênes but just as captivating. The palate is packed full of energy and vivacity, superb tension running from start to finish with the mineralité flooding across the entrancing finish. Outstanding. Very pure and given that nascent energy, a long-term prospect.

Destemmed entirely by hand, the 2017 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs offers up a lovely bouquet of cassis, blackberries, earthy forest floor and grilled game bird. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and generous, with the richest, most gourmand profile of the premiers crus in the Lafarge cellar, structured around beautifully refined tannins and concluding with a long, generous finish.