93+

Stephen Tanzer

Vinous

Good medium red; a bit less saturated than the 2010. More spicy and exotic on the nose than the '10, with its raspberry and mineral aromas joined by a light herbal element. Enters the mouth with silky richness, then turns juicy in the mid-palate, showing a very suave texture and surprising framing acidity to its flavors of liqueur-like red fruits and dried flowers. Quite powerful and long, finishing with serious late-arriving tannins. This is built for a long evolution in bottle. Guillaume d'Angerville told me that this wine "started out huge, but then the élevage gave it focus," whereas the 2008 Clos des Ducs "began lean and got richer." (13.55% alcohol; September 13 harvest; 40 h/h; 3.66 pH) 04/2019

93

Jasper Morris

Inside Burgundy

Lighter colour, quite angular, then sweeter fruit and a lover flowing finish. The one aspect in which the Lafarge Clos du Château des Ducs has the extra is in the bouquet but this had a slimline density about it, a wiry concentration of red fruit, and the possibility to build from here. This is very close to meriting a fifth star. Tasted Nov 2019.

95

Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

The 2009 Volnay Clos Des Ducs is the only wine in this lineup that is playing its cards close to the vest. Weightless yet powerful, the Clos des Ducs impresses for its striking balance and poise. There is so much going on in the glass its hard to know where to start. Floral notes meld into hints of licorice, sweet red cherries and mint in this crystalline, totally gorgeous Volnay. Today the tannins are impossibly firm, so readers will have to be patient. This is far from an easygoing 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029. I tasted the 2009s from D’Angerville twice recently, once at the winery in December 2011 and a second time in my office in New York. The Volnay, Volnay 1er and Volnay Champans were all less impressive than the first time I tasted those wines, just after botting. Time will tell if the wines are going through a closed phase today, or if I overrated them the first time around. 04/2012