Adventures with Old Vines by Richard L. Chilton Jr

Author:Richard L. Chilton Jr. [Chilton, Richard L. Jr.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2017-08-10T04:00:00+00:00

Guillaume d’Angerville is hardly the first person to make the transition from finance into winemaking, but his background and motivation, not to mention the caliber of the estate itself, make for a unique scenario. Once owned by the Dukes of Burgundy—whose name endures in its most famous vineyard—the estate lies at the heart of Volnay and occupies some of the commune’s top parcels. The property passed into its current family via the Baron of Mesnil, who acquired Clos des Ducs in 1804. When his son Eugène died in 1888 without an heir, the property passed to his fifteen-year-old nephew Sem, Marquis d’Angerville. Having fallen out with merchants during the 1930s over their fraudulent practices, the marquis was forced to become one of the first producers to manage his own bottling and sales. This quality focus saw the marquis, along with Henri Gouges of Nuits-Saint-Georges, given a key role in setting the appellation rules for Burgundy. Legend has it that the pair declined to request Grand Crus for their communes to avoid claims of bias. From 1952, Jacques d’Angerville continued his father’s focus on quality and integrity, heading the Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne and helping to set up the Institut Universitaire de la Vigne et du Vin in Dijon. His sudden death in 2003 fast-tracked son Guillaume d’Angerville’s move from heading up the French investment arm of JP Morgan to taking over the family estate. Despite his banking career, Guillaume had also worked almost every harvest, is a qualified winemaker, and has now converted the domaine to biodynamics.

Volnay

Sandwiched on the Côte de Beaune between the famously powerful reds of Pommard and rich whites of Meursault lie the surprisingly feminine wines of Volnay. Such delicacy may well come from the lighter, chalky soils that characterize this appellation, which perches on the slopes of the hill of Chaignot. At 206 hectares of vineyard in total, it may be relatively small, but this Pinot Noir–focused appellation packs in twenty-nine Premier Cru climats, covering more than half the total production area. Most of these top vineyards lie on the lower slopes by the main road where the limestone soil is deeper and more gravelly. Among the most highly regarded Premier Crus are Clos des Chênes, Taillepieds, and Les Caillerets. Alongside Marquis d’Angerville, other top Volnay producers to look out for include Lafarge, Comtes Lafon, and de Montille.

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