First tasted in Jan-05. Definitely my favourite d`Angerville wine of the tasting. Instantly there is that gorgeous, perfumed nose of wild strawberry, cherry and well-integrated oak. The definition is far superior than Champans or Fremiets. The palate is full-bodied and opulent with a firm grip. Dense mid-palate with a tannic, raspberry finish. Excellent. Drink from 2008. Then again in Mar-06 at the IMW horizontal. Another rich, slightly prune-scented nose. Figs and dates but all with good definition and clarity. Fine balance, well-integrated tannins, black cherries and burnt toast. Good grip on the finish - lacking a little typicity but very fine.

Very dark red. Brooding, slightly reduced aromas of black raspberry, menthol, mint, licorice and leather, plus a distinct impression of liqueur-like dried fruits. Thick, tactile and dry; this very powerful Volnay shows as much soil as fruit today. Strong tannins saturate the sides of the mouth and tongue, mostly neutralizing the wine's sweetness. A large-scaled and extreme style but boasts good freshness. This big boy still needs more time in bottle to soften. I suspect that it will go on for another couple of decades. In response to the extreme heat that summer and the very early harvest at the end of August, Renaud de Villette carried out a shorter-then-normal cuvaison , followed by a relatively short élevage with less new oak than usual. (13.65% alcohol; August 26 harvest; 28 h/h; 3.53 pH)

Harvested 25th-29th of August: Much fresher than expected, with bright red fruit and no traces of sur maturité on the nose. Well balanced, though the finish is just slightly dry. Even in this hot year the Ducs precision and minerality shows through. Guillaume d’Angerville notes that the Clos des Ducs has a spring near the middle of the vineyard that tends to prevent hydric stress in hot dry years.

Dark cherries, black plums, and violets can be discerned in the aromatic profile of the 2003 Volnay Clos des Ducs (red). The most structured of d’Angerville’s 2003s, this medium-bodied wine displays outstanding depth of fruit, concentration, and length. Built for those with patience, it coats the palate with intense, powerfully flavored dark cherries as well as massive quantities of tannin. When tasting in mid-November, I sensed the tannin was beginning to melt, a feeling confirmed by d’Angerville who stated that it had been hard as a rock over the summer. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company., New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400