Bright, dark red. Reticent, rather wild aromas of dark cherry and underbrush. Energetic but backward; much tighter today than the village wine and more dominated by its structure. The wild quality carries through on the palate. Best today on the back end, where fine-grained tannins spread out to saturate the palate.

The 2013 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets comes from a single parcel of vines. The nose is well defined, dominated by the new oak at the moment, but there is sufficient fruit underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins, quite dense at the moment with a touch of bell pepper on the masculine finish. Fine - if just a bit predictable.

Blueish crimson. Really sweet and flattering on the nose. Luscious fruit on the mid palate. Very charming and user-friendly. Though not cheap! The charm is front-loaded. There’s the merest hint of green on the finish. (JR)