Domaine de la POUSSE D'OR (Volnay) -- 2023 Tasted from Coravined Samples
For the most part, estates where I tasted last November and December had 2023s that did not show overripe, roasted fruit aromas and flavors, what I call “solar” style. But there were exceptions, and many of the wines at Domaine de la Pousse d’Or did show the solar style. An additional complicating factor is that these wines were tasted from bottled samples that had been coravined, a process that is supposed to preserve the wine, but that I (and several of my colleagues) have found to alter the wine negatively.
Over the summer there had been some green harvesting in July. At harvest, instead of a negative triage (selecting out bad grapes, there was a positive one.
The whites were harvested on 7 September, but the harvesting of the reds did not begin until 14 September (and that was on the Côte de Nuits!). There was no chaptalizartion, and only a little acidification, alcohols. Alcohols range from 13º to 13.8º. Malolactic fermentations finished in winter, but they were irregular, and not all wines developed at the were rate. Possibly due to that, not all wines were available to taste this past December.
The estate has long been organic and biodynamic.
Reds:
2023 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Caillerets
Rich, ripe, solar style, red fruits, smooth texture. (89-91)
2023 Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Bousse d’Or
Good minerality, dark fruits, solar style, rich, almost chewy, rather rustic. (89-91)
2023 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des 60 Ouvrées
Brambleberry, dusty nose. Red fruits with a brambleberry style, rich, solar, dense, velvety, rustic. Many will not like this style. (89-91)
2023 Pommard 1er Cru Les Jarollières
Dusty, fruit nose. Dark fruits, some minerality. powerful wine, dense, more freshness than in preceding wines, less rustic. (91-93)
2023 Corton-Bressandes
Dustiness in nose with dark fruits. Dark fruits, smooth round, a bit of minerality, more power. Good freshness. (92-94)
2023 Chambolle-Musigny
Not very fresh in nose (from coravin, as I stated above). Some freshness in mouth, dark fruits, some minerality; other than nose, a good, fresh, typical Chambolle. (90-92?)
2023 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Red fruits in nose. Amoureuses red cherry and other red fruits in the mouth. Amoureuses terroir shows through. Between fresh and solar in style. (92-94)
2023 Echézeaux
In conversion to organic and biodynamic viticulture. From Les Poulailliers lieu-dit. Spices in nose. Roasted fruit, dark, not my cup of tea. A bit oxidized, but again, that could be the coravin system. One barrel of this wine (which is two years-old) produced. ?
2023 Charmes-Chambertin
From the Mazoyères portion of the vineyard. Also in conversion to organic and biodynamic viticulture. Rich, round, some solar style, but not especially rustic, especially for Mazoyères, with dark fruits. (91-94)
2023 Clos de la Roche
Red fruits, spices in nose. Red and dark fruits in mouth. Rich but not overripe. Quite dense and powerful with some of the energy of Clos de la Roche. (91-94)
Whites:
2023 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret
Raised in 350-liter barrels. Very crisp, pure, incisive. medium weight. White fruits, especially. No feeling of low acidity or of oak. From one of the greatest white premier crus (just north of Montrachet), this is an outstanding Cailleret. (94-96)
2023 Chevalier-Montrachet
Raised in two 350-liter barrels plus a small bit in stainless steel that is used for topping up. Richer than Cailleret but with the freshness, detail, and energy of Chevalier-Montrachet. Apple in fruits again, but will develop more complexity with time. (94-97)