Louis Jadot Volnay Clos de la Barre Premier Cru 1997

Volnay remains the Côte de Beaune's most feminine and elegant red wine. The Clos de la Barre is a tiny vineyard of 3.3 acres lying in the central part of the commune below the village of Volnay. This walled vineyard, a monopole in the ownership of the Charraux family, was brought in its entirety into the Jadot portfolio through a long-term vineyard contract concluded with the proprietors in 1995. The soils in this mid-section of Volnay's slope, which support the commune's finest premiers crus, contain a marked precentage of iron with lesser amounts of limestone, in contrast to the calcium-dominated soils of the upper slope, over a rocky subsoil. These elements lend bouquet and body to the typical finesse and delicacy characteristic of Volnay. Volnay Clos de la Barre shows a lovely, intense bouquet of refined red fruits with nuances of minerals and earth which are carried onto the complex, beautifully balanced palate. The texture is silky and supple, finishing on a ripe, harmonious note.