Volnay-Santenots Premier Cru Sans Sulfite Ajouté AOC 2018

The Premier Cru site Volnay Santenots is fully located in the commune of Meursault, but is still counted as part of Volnay, as Meursault is a pure white wine commune. This plot in "Les Santenots" is located in the lower part of the village near Volnay. It is pretty much in the middle of Santenots-Dessous and consists of two plots with 60 and 40 year old vines. The soil is rich with a high clay content.

Maceration for 21 days with 90% whole clusters and daily pumping over and racking once or twice during fermentation. This is followed by malolactic fermentation and subsequent ageing in barriques with a new oak content of 35%. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and without the addition of sulphur.

Dark and strong ruby red.

The 2018 Volnay Santenots Premier Cru Sans Sulphite from Domaine Rougeot Pére & Fils is powerful with enormous depth. Dark and smoky, it is reminiscent of undergrowth, long red pepper, smoked meat, light tobacco and allspice. The equally dark fruit oscillates between pickled bay cherry and blackberry jelly with a dash of port. Continuous aeration in the glass makes the nose seem like a three-dimensional kaleidoscope, its facets in constant flux.

On the palate, too, two facets struggle for dominance. The youthful, small-part tannins seem like sandpaper of the finest calibration, mouth-watering with an aromatically tart profile. This is countered by the dark fruit, which shines brightly in rich ruby on the palate. This interplay is fuelled by the clear-as-a-bell acidity that literally whips the wine across the palate. Great cinema with a contemporary, fast drinking flow and bright, clear cherry in the epic finish.