Volnay 1er Cru “Taillepieds” 2013, Domaine de Montille

It has been a while since I tried a 2013 pinot so a quick refresh on what happened during the growing season is appropriate. A cool and damp spring resulted in a late flowering in June which was itself affected by more rain. The damp conditions continued through the summer requiring a lot of ploughing for organic domaines or herbicides for those practicing lutte raisonnée. Pinot grapes were only harvested from the beginning of October as they needed warm weather in September to reach full phenolic ripeness. In any case, the resulting wines still have high acidity levels and some producers de-acidified to increase pH levels. In short, it was a vintage which required a lot of intervention in the vineyards - even more so for those damaged by hailstorms - patience to wait for ripe grapes and discipline to select only healthy grapes. Against this backdrop, this Volnay-Taillepieds, generously shared by David Robinson is a real success. Lovely ripe red currant, raspberry and aniseed nose. This ripe, high-toned berry personality continues on the palate with a touch of orange sanguine and an elegant style. A perfect companion to roast duck breast at 67 Pall Mall and worth comparing to the Volnay 1er Cru "Les Mitans" 2012 to see the vintage variation.