Volnay Clos du Château des Ducs, Domaine Michel Lafarge 2015

The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs has what you might describe as an "aristocratic" bouquet, one that is distant and almost aloof at first and yet warming to you in its presence, revealing superb mineralité and tension. The palate is medium-bodied with thickset, rather rigid tannin that lend this body and density, the fruit darker and perhaps more masculine than Lafarge's Volnay Pitures and Mitans. It delivers a very focused, rather grippy finish and wonderful persistence. This has long-term prospects and should be reserved for those with patience or children with a penchant for seriously good Volnay.