2014 Michel Lafarge Volnay Vendanges Select

The 2014 Volnay Vendanges Selectionnées, which sees a whopping 7% new oak, has a reserved, quite tertiary bouquet that is nicely defined with briary and rooibos notes developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, quite firm in the mouth and perhaps just missing some flesh on the finish to prevent it from becoming a bit austere, a bit unfriendly. Hopefully it will gain charm by the time it is in bottle. 88-90 points

Once again the level of aromatic elegance is raised with better depth as well to the spicy black cherry, earth and sandalwood hints. There is fine richness and notably better volume to the delicious and lightly mineral-laden medium-bodied flavors where the supporting tannins possess a markedly finer grain which is responsible for the superior sense of finishing refinement. (88-91)/2021+ 88-91 points