Domaine Marquis d'Angerville, Champans Volnay Premier Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020

Overview of the Wine
Domaine Marquis d’Angerville is one of Burgundy's most sought after estates, and perfectly exemplifies the identity of Volnay. D'Angerville's list of holdings touches all of the village’s great terroirs, including one of the most picturesque vineyards in Volnay, the monopole of the estate, Clos des Ducs. The domaine started bottling its own production in the 1920s after the current Marquis’ grandfather, Sem d’Angerville, challenged the blending methods of the negociants’ and then began bottling his own wines instead of selling them his grapes. D'Angerville was one of the first Burgundy domains to do this, making history and encouraging the future of the region at the same time. Today the estate is led by Guillaume d’Angerville, farmed immaculately, and is producing some of the best wines in the entire Cote d’Or.    

Grape / Blend
Pinot Noir

Origin
Burgundy, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Historically classified as Têtes de Cuvée de Volnay, Champans is the archetype of the great Volnay 1er cru: finesse, fullness and length in the mouth with an extra generosity and power that is unique to it. Depending on the vintage, it deserves 5 to 10 years of aging to fully reveal itself, but it is generally more easily approachable young than Taillepieds or Clos des Ducs.

95 Points - Vinous
The 2020 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru certainly has the most opulent bouquet amongst d’Angerville’s ‘20s with exuberant black cherries, raspberry coulis, hints of fresh fig and black truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with quasi-chalky tannins, taut and fresh, quite saline and poised with a harmonious finish not dissimilar to the Taillepieds. Satisfying persistence here, but in keeping with d'Angerville's other Volnays, it is quite serious in personality and this will oblige cellaring. Quite regal.

94 Points - Decanter
Pronounced aromas of black plum and cassis, with notes of rose petal and liquorice. The texture is full-bodied and rich, with solid but silky tannins, while the extract and freshness carry this to a lingering finish. Marvellous. Among the leading appellations at d'Angerville, the vines are divided into two parcels that run the length of the vineyard. The grapes are destemmed and given a cold soak prior to fermentation and ageing in cask (10-15% new). Drinking Window 2025

94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Aromas of red berries, orange rind, raw cocoa, warm spices and forest floor preface the 2020 Volnay 1er Cru Champans, a medium to full-bodied, rich and structured wine that's firmer and more muscular than the Taillepieds this year. This is one cuvée that is a touch more structured than its 2019 counterpart, and it will require a bit of patience. "We chose balance over so-called phenolic maturity," Guillaume d'Angerville declared as we began our tasting of his 2020s; and the vintage that on paper was the most extreme of the 2020-2019-2018 trio has in fact delivered the most fine-boned, pretty wines of them all. Perfumed, vibrant and beautifully balanced, this is a compellingly delicate, precise portfolio that comes warmly recommended.

Product size: 750ml