Quite a bit of mystery surrounds this monopole vineyard, as it was only officially named in 1937, and was not mentioned in Dr. Lavalle's original classifications.
It seems that it might have been part of the Clos de la Bousse d'Or, which lies just to the north of it, but the date and reason why the two vineyards were separated by a wall is unclear. The back wall, which makes it an official clos, was erected at a much later date, likely around the same time as the naming of the vineyard. The vineyard is part of the larger lieu-dit 1er Cru Le Village, which also includes the Clos de la Bousse d'Or.
The 2018 vintage was one of ‘twists and turns’ that was shy about showing its full potential until the assemblage. We believe, on the whole, the reds are among the finest we have made at the Domaine. But there were lots of reasons to have doubts along the way: the hot dry summer pushed up the pHs and the accelerated growing season which made the picking date critical. We started on August 30th and finished seven of our eight red vineyards in 48 hours. While we had reasonable sugar ripeness 5 days earlier, we wanted to wait several days to allow the phenolic mosaic to come together and the tannins to mature as much as possible. Our alcohols ranged from 13 - 14 degrees so picking even a few days later could have been problematic. Getting the extraction correct was critical, balancing the ripeness with the phenolics. We increased the remontage frequency and employed a more gentle pigeage compared to the last several years. After fermentation, a few malos started immediately after pressing due in part to continued warm temperatures – much, much earlier than we prefer! But happily, through the élevage, we found that the surprisingly highish tartaric acid provides a lovely ‘grip’ to balance the ripe fruit. Yields for the reds were about 30 hl/ha which added to the concentration. These reds remind me of the 1985 vintage, which also had similar growing conditions. The whites are pure and ripe with good acidity – a cross between 2015 and 2017 for recent vintages and similar to 1989, for those of us of a certain age: another hot, dry summer.
The Volnay appellation is found mid-slope in the Côte de Beaune, with Pommard to the north and Meursault to the south. Although there are no Grands Crus here, Volnay's 30 Premiers Crus are unmatched. Always appreciated for their finesse and beautiful bouquet, Volnays are often regarded as being feminine.
This 1er Cru Monopole is one of the parcels that make up the appellation of Volnay 1er Cru "Le Village". The vineyard is 0.56 ha/ 1.4 acres, planted with 50 year old vines. The soil is primarily clayey limestone with white marl. In Burgundy the term "Clos" refers to a vineyard that is enclosed within a stone wall. The soil here is of limestone and marl, and is very distinct from that of the Clos de la Bousse d'Or. There the soil is much redder, and a meter lower - perhaps explaining the wall as a retainer, and the division of the two vineyards.
This is a fairly warm vineyard as it is quite small, with tall walls protecting it from cooling winds, and which reflect the sun's heat onto the vines. Such a microclimate generates early ripening and slightly lower acidities, yet here produces wine with elegance and good structure for aging. The organic and biodynamic practices being practiced here will also insure a lower pH.
In order to fully appreciate the aromas it is best to serve this wine between 15-16°C / 59-61°F.
An ideal pairing with lamb shank, duckling filet or sweetbreads with morels. Perfect as well to enjoy with triple cream cheeses such as Brillat-Savarin or Chaource.
