Domaine Pierrick BOULEY (Volnay) -- 2022 Tasted from Barrel Part I: Red Wines

 

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This estate, formerly known under the name Domaine Réyanne et Pascal Bouley, is now firmly under the control of their son, Pierrick. He said that 2022 posed no problems for him. Yields were “normal to a bit over” normal: 25 hl/ha for the premiers crus, 45 hl/ha for the Aligoté, and 35 hl/ha for the estate overall. He began the harvest on 1 September. 


The estate is now following organic farming and will be officially certified this year. As with many producers now in order to combat the heat, Pierrick is not cutting the tops of the vines, allowing them to provide more shade.


Because he doesn’t use sulfur, malolactic fermentations were rapid, with many finishing before the alcoholic fermentations. All fruit for the wines is destemmed. In general, about 30% new wood on the wines. In 2022, there were 2-3 pigeages (punch downs) per day at the maximum in order not to extract too much. 


These are very good wines in a somewhat modern style.


2022 Bourgogne Passetoutgrains

This wine is 70% from Gamay, 30% from Pinot Noir, the vines are about 80 years old. The wine features a mineral nose of great prettiness. The mouth is pure, mineral, and precise with red fruits, great finesse, and no rusticity. (89-91)


2022 Bourgogne   Côte d’Or  

The nose here is mineral, and the mouth is pure and silky with red fruits. This is a very good red Bourgogne. (87-89)


2022 Monthélie    Aux Fourneaux

This wine has dark, dense, juicy fruit, but overall finesse, too. It is attractive for now and has the balance for extended aging. About 13% alcohol. (88-91)


2022 Volnay

The village Volnay is ripe and pure in its dark fruit, and it shows an overall elegance. There is sweetness from the fruit, and despite the ripeness, it is balanced. From vines that average about 50 years of age. 13.5% alcohol.  (88-90)


2022 Volnay   Les Pluchots

This wine is fresh, light, and pure, very much what one thinks of as Volnay, with dark fruits. There is jam here, but the wine is not jammy or overripe. This wine is from a half hectare plot in the middle of Volnay that regularly gives 20-25 hl/ha from the vines that average about 70 years of age. (89-92)


2022 Pommard

The Pommard, mostly from white marl soils above the Rugiens, is direct and straight with finesse and firmness, but without being hard. The fruit is red. (90-92)


2022 Aloxe-Corton

Herbal spice in the nose with a touch of tobacco. The mouth shows dark cherries, finesse, for Aloxe, and tannins that are not aggressive. (89-92)


2022 Monthélie   1er Cru   Les Clous

The Monthélie-Clous has fine fruit that filters on the tongue, but also structure that suggests that the wine will need some time in bottle to come around. Good length here. (90-92)


2022 Volnay   1er Cru  Robardelles

This wine is intense with finesse no heaviness, and layered dark fruits. The vines are about 80 years-old, yield was 15 hl/ha. (91-94)


2022 Volnay   1er Cru   Ronceret

The Roneret shows red and dark cherry fruit, firmness and elegance to its beautiful texture, and a fruitiness that is just short of succulent. (92-94)


2022 Volnay    1er Cru    Les Grands Champs

This is the estate’s monopole in the sense that Bouley is the only owner of the small portion of the Grands Champs lieu-dit that is classified premier cru (curiously, as a climat, this plot is considered part of Les Mitans). The wine displays minerality in the nose and mouth, outstanding freshness, and layered texture.  (92-94)


2022 Volnay    1er Cru   Santenots

The Santenots is round, succulent and fruity with dark plums, good length, and good complexity. (92-95)


2022 Volnay   1er Cru   Champans

This wine shows none of the heaviness or flatness that can appear in Champans. It is broad and dense in the mouth with dark fruits, a velvet texture, and tension and energy. The vines here are about 35 years-old. (93-95)


2022 Volnay   1er Cru   Clos des Chênes

Last of the reds, the Clos des Chênes is firmer than the Champans, as is characteristic, with classic stoniness, noble austerity, and fruit beneath it. This is a classic for Clos des Chênes. Here, too, the vines are about 35 years-old. (93-96)