Volnay 1er Cru « Taillepieds »

Although Dr. Lavalle did not mention this vineyard in his 1855 classification as a "Tete de Cuvee", meaning one of the best in the commune, that quality assessment would certainly not be the case today.

This vineyard is producing excellent wine.  We farm 0.47 hectares of this highly regarded site which has naturally low yields.

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Characteristics of the vintage

Nature smiled generously on us for the 2022 vintage, producing wines of quality and abundance.  Yields were ample for both reds and whites, as we enjoyed seeing full vats and tanks of both Pinot and Chardonnay.    Frost events occurred in April but we avoided any damage of consequence.  A later-than-usual bud burst helped with that pressure, due in part to new pruning techniques which delay tripening.  Summer-like weather in April and early May saw the vines racing ahead and our vineyard team worked hard to keep up.  Flowering was the end of May under largely excellent conditions.  100 mm of rain the last half of June provided significant reserves for the vines to survive that heat and dry conditions of the following six weeks, which saw only about 25 mm of rain and peak temperatures routinely between 30 and 35 degrees C.  We began picking on 25 August and finished on the 31st of the month.  Sugars were remarkably homogenous with hardly any variation around 12.5 %.  pH’s were practically textbook with a tight range among the cuvées.  Fermentation was long and steady for the reds with most being devatted at close to 21 days.   Malos for the whites progressed orderly from primary fermentation but reds were rather variable with some not finishing before summer.  In the end, the vintage produced wines of exceptional balance and a depth of fruit of remarkable purity.  One can’t help but think of the 1999 vintage for a comparison, which was equally generous in quantity and quality, although the quality of the whites may more closely resemble those of 2002.

Vineyard

High on the slopes of Volnay, just to the south of the village, this vineyard benefits from excellent exposure.   The terroir has a high proportion of limestone which accounts for its minerality.

Our 0.47 hectare site is populated with vines averaging 65 years old.

Service

Best served between 15 - 16 C/59-61 F. 

This well-structured wine can be easily paired with grilled meats, including lamb, rabbit, and beef, and strong cheeses, such as Epoisses, Delices de Bourgogne, Maconnais, or Roquefort.