2018 Volnay, Champans, 1er Cru, Domaine François Buffet

The finest and most elegant red wines of the Côte de Beaune are grown in Volnay, a village which might be twinned with Chambolle-Musigny in the Côte de Nuits, for the high active chalk content in the soil and comparatively low clay content. Whereas in earlier times Volnay was made in a particularly light, early drinking style, these days there are many producers making wines which age extremely well.

This little jewel of a domaine is run by the amiable Marc-Olivier Buffet, whose family have been making wine in Volnay since 1692. Today, the domaine covers 7.5 hectares, including a wealth of old vines in the most prestigious vineyards of Volnay and Pommard, not least the monopole Volnay Premier Cru Clos de la Rougeotte. The reputation of this domaine is still a little under the radar, but the run of delicate and languid wines created by Marc-Olivier over the past few years is certainly gaining more admirers annually. Throughout this period, Marc-Olivier has been diffidently refining his style. In our opinion, these are now among the most elegant expressions of Volnay out there.

Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.

Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.

Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey ""sous-bois"" nuances emerging.

The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.