2023 Domaine Coche-Dury Volnay 1er Cru

Aromas of sweet plums, berries, spices and grilled squab introduce the 2023 Volnay 1er Cru, a medium- to full-bodied, suave and fleshy wine that will offer a broad drinking window. As usual, it's a blend of Taillepieds and Clos des Chênes, from a parcel that straddles the border of the two climats. The 2023 vintage is another strong year for this 10-hectare domaine, where Raphaël Coche has held the reins since 2010 after more than a decade working alongside his father, Jean-François. Much has been written about the Coche-Dury "magic," but the rudiments are simple: attentive viticulture (now with somewhat higher hedging and seasonal cover crops); harvesting ripe fruit in a timely fashion; a rare aptitude—which seems to have been passed down from father to son—for knowing how hard to press and for how long; careful choice of barrels; and long, patient and meticulously supervised fermentations and élevage, with the wines spending two winters on the lees. Attention to detail at every step along the way delivers wines distinguished by their incisive acids, striking intensity and frequently appreciable presence of dry extract. Over the years, there has been evolution, of course, something I've written about in previous reports in detail, but the fundamentals remain the same. The 2023 vintage is very expressive out of the gates but also very clearly defined by terroir—an unusual combination that lends it considerable appeal.(WK)