These wines are sold under slightly different labels in various markets, but the wines are all the same.
Pierrick Bouley said that he harvested the Volnay-Ronceret vineyard on 28 August, and then paused, with the rest of the harvested continuing from 2 to 9 September. Yields were 42 hl/ha, modest considering that vines affected by frost, as almost all of Bouley’s were in 2016, usually produce abundantly. In 2018, Bouley, as with the majority of producers I visited, had higher yields, 45 hl/ha for the whole estate.
All grapes were destemmed. There was no chaptalization, and alcohols for the premiers crus are 12.5-13.5º. Other than the village Monthélie, which saw no new wood, new oak is 10-25% on these wines. Malic acidities here were relatively low, and the malo-lactic fermentations went quickly. No SO2 was added until racking.
The wines here are very good and worthy of your interest, especially as this estate is still not fully recognized for the quality of the wines produced.
2017 Bourgogne-Côte d’Or Pinot Noir
This wine is full, round, and light with red fruits. Enjoyable. (85-87)
2017 Monthélie Aux Fourneaux
This village wine represents a big jump from the Bourgogne-Côte d’Or. The wine is light, pure, and round with red fruits. It shows good elegance and length, and the wine seems to float above the tongue with a satin texture. (89-91)
2017 Volnay
The village Volnay is pure and pretty with red fruits, a bit more weight than the Monthélie, but still elegant. Good length here. (90-92)
2017 Volnay Pluchots
Pluchots is from a climat downslope from the premier cru Carelle sous la Chapelle. Pierrick says that he is trying to make a village wine that lasts somewhat longer than the regular Volnay. As a result, there’s somewhat more new oak here (33%), and two extra pigeages for a total of five (usually, it is two or three). The wine displays dark fruits and more depth and body than the regular Volnay, but there’s still plenty of finesse here. (91-94)
2017 Pommard
The Pommard has dark fruits, concentration, tannins but with a silky texture and some finesse (especially for Pommard), with good length. The wine is mainly from the Chanlins climat but also Lambots just above Chanlins. (91-93)
2017 Aloxe-Corton
This is the first wine Bouley has made from a rented property in the Citernes climat. The wine features dark fruits with lightness, but also some Aloxe-Corton rusticity to the tannins. (88-91)
2017 Beaune 1er Cru Teurons
Bouley’s Beaune-Teurons is very pretty with finesse, purity, lightness on the palate, length, and some tannins on the finish. (91-94)
2017 Monthélie 1er Cru Les Clous
The Monthélie-Clous is light on the palate with strawberry fruit, minerality, and structure from some tannins. (91-93)
2017 Volnay 1er Cru Les Grands Champs
The Volnay-Grands Champs is a Bouley monopole in the sense that Bouley’s plot of Grands Champs is the only one classified as a premier cru. The wine features pretty, long, and pure red cherry and other red berry fruits. The wine is elegant and has some minerality. (91-93)
2017 Volnay 1er Cru Ronceret
Here the fruit is darker and a bit riper and richer that of the Grands Champs. The vineyard is just below Champans and one can see the proximity in the Champans-like fleshiness of this wine. (91-93)
2017 Volnay 1er Cru Robardelles
From very old vines (yield here in 2017 was 30 hl/ha), the Volnay-Robardelles displays lovely finesse, good concentration, dark fruits, minerality, and length. (91-94)
2017 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots
Bouley’s Volnay-Santenots has spices in the nose and mouth, dark fruits, good concentration and depth, and it shows some minerality. The wine is quite approachable for young Santenots, being neither hard nor tannic. (92-95)
2017 Volnay 1er Cru Champans
Here we have typical Champans breadth and fleshiness, even voluptuousness, together with with dark, spicy fruit that is even a little bit exotic. The wine shows good length. (92-94)
2017 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes
As usual, the standout in the cellar is the Volnay-Clos des Chênes. The wine has dark fruits with purity, precision, and elegance, all wrapped in the Clos des Chênes signature structure and freshness. (93-96)
And in white:
2017 Saint-Romain
This wine is from vines Bouley farms in the En Poillange lieu-dit, just above la Pérère The wine shows richness and minerality with good length and refreshing acidity. (86-88)