Volnay Clos des Chenes, Domaine Michel Lafarge 2022

A royal purple colour. The fruit intensity on the nose outstrips all the others. What a perfect pitch of ripeness! I keep going back to smell it again. Waves of fruit wash over the palate, raspberry, a few perfectly ripe cherries, superbly nuanced as well as the intensity. Finally, a finish in perfect harmony.

Lafarge has a large parcel of nearly a hectare in the Clos des Chênes; it always makes an exceptional wine. Frédéric notes, ' In 2022, the terroirs are really apparent, which is not always the case in hot years.' He coaxes a wine of great richness from this special plot. The dark mulberry and cassis fruit is scented with exotic spices and a savoury, gamey note. The structure is firmly tannic but not astringent, and the finish goes on interminably. Age this ideally for at least five years before opening, and it will repay you with decades of pleasure. (Drink between 2025-2050)