Volnay Clos des Ducs, Domaine Marquis d'Angerville 2020

An exuberantly floral nose combines notes of rose petal, violet, lavender, earth, clove and black cherry liqueur. The almost painfully intense, sappy and muscular big-bodied mouth coating flavors brim with minerality on the explosively long and balanced finish that is less youthfully austere than usual. Even so, the supporting tannins are prominent and leave no doubt that this is going to mature gracefully if slowly. This stunningly good Clos des Ducs is a clear candidate for the best Côte de Beaune red in the 2020 vintage.

Readers will have a fun time debating the relative merits of d'Angerville's 2018, 2019 and 2020 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs in 20 years' time, as for now it is a very close-run thing. The 2020 is certainly superb, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, plums and berries mingled with spices, orange zest, peony and discreet hints of oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and seamless palate that's bright, elegant and rich but refined. Of the trio, it's probably the 2020 that carries the sunshine and warmth of the vintage the most lightly, even though the year was, on paper, the most extreme.

Pure deep crimson purple. Like the Champans, the nose here is also restrained though obviously with density to follow, when it is ready. The fruit swells across the palate, almost lush in the middle, some tannins too, firm at the finish. This is still very backward and has not completely filled out its framework yet. Maybe just a little riper than the perfect balance. Will be the last to be bottled, and has all the component parts to make a great wine. Tasted: October 2021.