2009 Volnay Clos des Ducs 1. Cru Marquis d'Angerville

The 2009 Volnay Clos Des Ducs is the only wine in this lineup that is playing its cards close to the vest. Weightless yet powerful, the Clos des Ducs impresses for its striking balance and poise. There is so much going on in the glass its hard to know where to start. Floral notes meld into hints of licorice, sweet red cherries and mint in this crystalline, totally gorgeous Volnay. Today the tannins are impossibly firm, so readers will have to be patient. This is far from an easygoing 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.

Good medium-deep red. Wonderfully perfumed nose combines blackberry, black cherry, violet and minerals. Dense, sweet and highly concentrated, with outstanding ripeness and richness to its dark fruit and spice flavors. A wine of superb finesse, finishing with serious but noble tannins and great persistence. I couldn't scrape this off my palate. As in a few other cellars, with these last few samples I felt I was tasting Cote de Beaune wines with the complexity and class of top Cote de Nuits wines.

Harvested 10- 14th of September. The nose of crushed berries is exuberant, and in the mouth the sensation of explosive fruit is confirmed. A very dense and long wine, but unlike some 09s, it has great freshness and lift. Shows the precision and mineral underpinning that I expect in a great Ducs. This will live for decades, but unlike many Ducs, it should drink well by its tenth birthday.

Though elegant, this is lean, delivering strawberry and raspberry notes matched to a silky texture and steely structure. Seems built for aging, with a spice and mineral aftertaste. Best from 2015 through 2030.