Joseph Drouhin Volnay 2024

While Gevrey-Chambertin represents the structured, muscular "king" of the Côte de Nuits, Volnay is universally celebrated as the elegant, seductive "queen" of the Côte de Beaune. Located just south of Beaune and adjacent to Pommard, the village of Volnay rests on a steep, privileged east/southeast-facing slope where the soils transition to lighter limestone and colored marls mixed with small pebbles.

Maison Joseph Drouhin utilizes this distinct terroir to craft a Volnay focused on pure, ethereal weightlessness and fragrant charm. Blending select hand-harvested fruit from estate parcels and trusted grower partners, Drouhin manages extraction with absolute precision to favor lace-like finesse over raw power.

Wine Description

The Joseph Drouhin Volnay 2024 pours a bright, vivid ruby color with brilliant luminosity in the glass. The bouquet is extraordinarily pretty, precise, and high-toned, greeting the nose with a classic youthful perfume of fresh violets, redcurrants, and blackcurrants, laced with subtle mineral undertones.

On the palate, the wine delivers a striking sense of roundness and velvety texture without a trace of heavy weight. True to the airy, translucent nature of the 2024 vintage, it is a lighter-bodied, beautifully vibrant expression of 100% Pinot Noir. It dances across the palate with a refreshing, crunchy acidity and powdery, fine-grained tannins.

The fruit underwent total destemming and a gentle 2-to-3-week maceration utilizing indigenous yeasts. It was then aged for 12 to 16 months in fine French oak barrels (20% new) sourced from high forests. The finish is long and persistent, carrying soft hints of candied red fruits and delicate vanilla. This highly graceful vintage can be happily approached after 3 to 5 years of cellaring but will keep nicely for up to a decade.