The 1995 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs was described as "sometimes, a great surprise" by Guillaume d'Angerville - which is exactly what this was. Clearly riper on the nose than the '96, the fruit redder in profile with luscious wild strawberry, quince and red plum scents, edging towards kirsch-like scents with aeration, this is just a gorgeous Clos des Ducs to simply nose. The palate is very fleshy, almost corpulent in the mouth, almost viscous in texture with an elegant, saline finish. This is just divine with the substance to suggest another 15 to 20 years service.

Dark red with a healthy rim. Inviting scents of black cherry, dark plum and dried flowers convey a musky, faintly carnal quality (this wine was closed for a long time, noted Guillaume d'Angerville). Quite silky and sweet in the mouth, with very rich cherry, raspberry and spice flavors nicely framed by harmonious acidity. Finishes with a powerful dusting of building tannins and lovely rising length. This wine was quite unforthcoming in the years following bottling, with its tannins dominant, but today it's a very pleasant surprise. At the outset I preferred the '96, but not today. (13.15% alcohol; September 30 harvest; 28 h/h; 3.36 pH)

Harvested 26th September to 1st of October. A complex, savory nose. A bigger, masculine vintage, although the famed 1995 tannins have melted completely away. Good fruit, good balance. Drinking well now and should hold for years. A very pleasant surprise.

In contrast to the 96, the 95 is quite deeply colored with a nose that offers both red and black fruits as well as the barest hint of remarkably complex secondary nuances. Structurally dense with very rich, ripe, round, medium weight flavors that merge seamlessly into a long, persistent, moderately tannic finish. The tannins are still completely wrapped in pinot fat and I particularly like the slow-building intensity from the mid-palate to the finish. As vintages of Clos des Ducs go, this is big, rich and concentrated yet the trademark sense of elegance and finesse remains intact and in particular, the aromas are really starting to develop. Still, it will be several years before this is really at its peak.

As is obvious from my scores, I absolutely adored d'Angerville's two top wines. Offering a gorgeous, saturated black/purple color, the Volnay Clos Des Ducs has a sublime nose of violets, roses, and super-ripe plums, cherries and blueberries. Full-bodied, oily-textured and impressively concentrated, this wine has a mouth-watering core of Asian spices, fresh herbs, and deeply sweet red and black fruits. Its purity, precision and elegance are simply mindboggling. Bravo! Projected maturity: 1999-2010. As always, ratings with a score in parentheses indicate the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Jacques, Marquis d'Angerville is, without a doubt, one of the finest producers in Burgundy. However, prior to working in the retail wine trade I firmly believed that he did not deserve his reputation. I rapidly came to realize that the wines I had been purchasing had often been damaged by careless shipping or storage somewhere en route from his cellars to Washington, DC. Charming, sensitive and intelligent, the Marquis produces beautifully concentrated and superbly elegant wines. Furthermore, when properly shipped and cellared, they can age gracefully for well over a decade. Importer: Chateaux and Estates Wine Co., New York, NY; Tel; (212) 572-7725.