Domaine Marquis d'Angerville, Champans Volnay Premier Cru, Burgundy, France, 2009

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.    

Winemaker
Guillaume d'Angerville

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.

94 Points - Vinous
In a vintage in which so many wines are all about intensity, 2009 Marquis d’Angerville’s Volnay Champans (magnum) impresses for its perfume, delineated fruit and fabulous overall balance. Refined and impeccable in its sense of restraint, the 2009 is so very pretty and expressive. Silky tannins round out the racy, polished finish. What a gorgeous wine this is. (AG)

94 Points - Burghound
An incredibly complex, fresh and seductively perfumed nose offers up a wonderfully layered set of ripe red berry fruit, cassis, mineral and spice aromas that introduce sappy and lacy yet serious middle weight flavors that possess both excellent power and fine volume, all wrapped in a magnificently long finish. The tannins are quite firm yet they're also well-integrated as the abundant dry extract pushes them to the background. In a word, sensational. *Outstanding*

93 Points - Decanter
Gorgeously pure on the nose with a pretty freshness. In the mouth this is richer and more voluptuous, with a nice gaminess and hedonistic soused cherries. (EL)

93 Points - Wine Spectator
A fleshy style, this rich wine leans toward black fruit—cherry and berry—and licorice flavors. Smooth and sleek, with a mineral undercurrent and a vibrant structure. Very harmonious. (BS)

92 Points - Wine Advocate
The 2009 Volnay 1er Cru Champans was tasted against the 2011, the latter much more expressive and approachable. Speaking to Guillaume d'Angerville himself, seated next to me, I remarked that I thought the 2009 was closing down and he agreed. It has lost its initial exuberance - a bouquet that appears to have closed in on itself. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, stoic and a tad introverted, moody even, slightly grainy in texture with just a touch of piquancy on the finish. I am sure this will ultimately come good, but this is a surly Volnay for the patient. Those without it ought to head for the 2007 or 2011 vintages. (NM) 

92 Points - Int'l Wine Cellar
Deep but closed nose hints at cherry, herbs and damp earth. Then large-scaled and explosive in the mouth, with a compellingly creamy quality to its red fruit and licorice flavors. Approachable now for its sheer sweetness and generous mouthfeel, this thick but shapely wine nonetheless needs time in the cellar to show more complexity. According to Guillaume d'Angerville, the 2009s "refined themselves" during their last months of elevage. (ST)

Product size: 750ml