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domaine-joseph-voillot

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Joseph Voillot

Overview

Volnay domaine now run by Etienne Chaix (son-in-law). Etienne noted that cold/wet weather at 2024 flowering disproportionately affected later-flowering aligoté and pinot noir vs. chardonnay.

Appellations

Key Wines

  • Volnay “Champans” (1er cru)
  • Volnay “Clos des Chênes” (1er cru)
  • Pommard “les Pézerolles” (1er cru)
  • Village Volnay

Style Notes

Etienne Chaix (son-in-law of Joseph Voillot) runs the domaine with a focus on terroir expression. The Volnay premier crus show the appellation’s characteristic elegance and silky texture.

2023 Vintage Notes (VFTC #115)

Visited January 10, 2025. Etienne Chaix very happy — “excellent vintage for both reds and whites.” Picked September 5–11, finishing one day before the massive September 12th thunderstorm. Everything bottled by January: Meursaults and Bourgogne bottled before 2024 harvest; reds bottled second week of December. All reds completely destemmed (house style). Lovely black fruity character recalling young 1993s. Gilman: “I had started selling this fine domaine’s wines all the way back in the 1993 vintage and I am strongly of the impression that the wines of Domaine Voillot are even better than they were back then and are now to be clearly listed amongst the very finest small handful of domaines in the village of Volnay.”

Whites:

  • Meursault “les Cras” 1er Cru: 93 pts (2027–2055) — rock solid core; superb backend mineral drive
  • Meursault “les Chevalieres”: 92 pts (2025–2050) — fine juice; zesty, precise

Reds:

  • Pommard “les Rugiens”: 94+ pts (2039–2090) — “my favorite red wine in the Voillot cellars this year”; “grand cru quality without a doubt!”; exceptional backend lift
  • Pommard “les Pezerolles”: 94 pts (2037–2085+) — “equally stunning young wine”; “great juice”
  • Pommard “les Epenots”: 93+ pts (2037–2085+) — “going to be stellar”
  • Volnay “les Caillerets”: 93+ pts (2036–2085) — most reserved of the premier crus; black fruity
  • Volnay “les Champans”: 93 pts (2035–2085) — “a fine, fine bottle in the making”
  • Volnay “les Fremiets”: 92+ pts (2035–2085) — sappy; lovely currant leaf
  • Pommard “Clos Micault”: 92 pts (2035–2075+) — “quite expressive for young Pommard”
  • Beaune “aux Coucherias”: 91+ pts (2033–2075) — currant leaf, fresh thyme
  • Volnay Vieilles Vignes: 90+ pts (2033–2070+) — sappy
  • Pommard Vieilles Vignes: 90+ pts (2036–2075) — rather red fruity
  • Bourgogne Rouge V.V.: 88 pts (2027–2040)

2024 Vintage Notes (Burghound #102)

Etienne Chaix described 2024 as “difficult but not the end of the world.” Focused on what he could control — treatments against mildew. Began picking Sept 12 under good conditions; moderate sorting. Yields 20–25 hl/ha. Potential alcohols 12.5–13%; lightly chaptalized ~0.5%. Meadows: “Chaix has accurately characterized his 2024s and a number of them are well worth your interest.” Reds bottled July–December 2025 using Diam 5 composite stopper.

2024 Scores (bottled):

  • Volnay “Les Frémiets” 1er: 92 — perfumed, generous, caressing; “lovely”; reward up to a decade
  • Volnay “Les Caillerets” 1er: 92 — super-sleek, beguiling tension; ample minerality; lightly austere; “going to require at least some patience”
  • Pommard “Les Rugiens” 1er (Rugiens Bas, planted 1959): 92 — “wonderfully refined and pure yet tautly muscular”; prominent minerality; “lovely stuff”; requires patience
  • Volnay “Les Champans” 1er: 91 — finer than Frémiets; more mineral; needs better depth
  • Pommard “Les Epenots” 1er (Petits Epenots): 91 — bourgeon de cassis reduction; punchy, refined; rating offers benefit of the doubt
  • Pommard “Clos Micault” 1er: 90 — youthfully austere; needs better depth
  • Pommard “Les Pézerolles” 1er (planted 1963): 90 — touch of asperity; rating offers benefit of the doubt
  • Beaune “Aux Coucherias” 1er: 89 — super-sleek, vibrant; “highly refreshing”
  • Volnay Vieilles Vignes: 88 — could use better depth
  • Pommard Vieilles Vignes (Les Cras): 87
  • Bourgogne Pinot Noir VV: 86

My Tastings

(none yet)

Sources

  • sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Jan-Feb 2025 #115.txt
  • sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Jan-Feb 2026 #121.pdf
  • sources/articles/Burghound/Burghound Issue 102 - 2024 and 2023 Cote de Beaune Reds.txt

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