Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard, Volnay Premier Cru, Champans, Burgundy
Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard, Volnay Premier Cru, Champans, Burgundy
An introduction to Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard, Volnay Premier Cru, Champans, Burgundy
Champans is a Premier Cru climat in Volnay in the prized mid-slope of the Cote d’Or escarpment, situated below Taille Pieds and Clos des Chenes, as well as Volnay town itself. The southeast facing vineyard’s complex terroir includes a thin topsoil with deep limestone rock below at the top of the slope, with deeper, redder soil at the bottom with higher clay content and less-concentrated limestone. The domaine’s plot covers a surface area of 0.36 hectares. Their vines were planted in 1980.
Performance
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Understanding Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard, Volnay Premier Cru, Champans, Burgundy
This expression by Domaine Blain-Gagnard is made from sustainably farmed Pinot Noir grapes, which are destemmed after harvest. The wine is fermented and aged for 18 months in oak barrels with up to 15% new Allier oak. The generous and alluring bouquet delivers swathes of fresh raspberry and strawberry, melding with mineral aromas. On the palate, the wine is deep and concentrated, yet taut and crunchy, with impressively balanced tannins and an abundance of energy and persistence. The wine has been scored highly by major critics, with Jasper Morris praising its ‘excellent length’ and Neal Martin of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate describing it as a ‘very crystalline Volnay with a beautifully poised finish.’