Francois Buffet Volnay 'Clos des Chenes' Premier Cru 2021
4.3
HK$735
750ml
Bottle
Vintage Character The 2021 Volnay 'Clos des Chênes' Premier Cru was shaped by a demanding Burgundy season. Spring frost reduced crop potential in many districts, and wet periods from late June through August brought disease pressure and slowed the usual rhythm of ripening. A dry north wind and better September weather helped the Pinot Noir complete maturity before harvest. Clos des Chênes is a marl-and-limestone Premier Cru that the estate associates with darker fruit and a firmer frame than its more delicate Volnay sites. The cool, uneven year puts extra emphasis on definition and savoury length rather than sheer concentration.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing The domaine describes black fruit, body and fine yet present tannins as Clos des Chênes markers. In 2021 dark cherry and blackcurrant sit with a brighter red-fruit edge, and the palate moves from a compact centre into a distinctly shaped finish. Earth, dried herbs, clove and a subtle floral note add complexity as the wine opens, and forest floor and truffle with age. The estate ages this wine for 18 months in oak barrels. It has enough structure for roast duck, coq au vin or a simply cooked beef dish, and it will keep for many years in a cool cellar.
Winery Background François Buffet is a Volnay family estate whose roots there reach 1692, directed today by Marc-Olivier. It lists Clos des Chênes among its individual Premiers Crus and attributes the wine's power and ageing capacity to the site's marl and limestone. The name recalls an oak wood that disappeared centuries ago. The domaine avoids herbicides, maintains cover crops and works towards organic farming, using biodynamic ideas on selected parcels. This long-term attention to soil health suits the wine's site-defined structure. Clos des Chênes shows a more muscular face of Volnay without losing the finesse of Pinot Noir.