2022 Volnay, Caillerets, 1er Cru, Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur, Burgundy

The 2022 Volnay Les Caillerets 1er Cru is well-defined on the nose, again, with plenty of ripe red brambly fruit, commingling with sous-bois, orange rind and crushed stone aromas - one of my favourite aromatics amongst the reds. The medium-bodied palate is quite saline, with a gentle grip, finer tannins than the Taillepieds, and quite a succulent, lightly spiced finish. I can see this aging well in bottle.“All our vines are on the slopes, and we did not observe any stress in the Chardonnay,” François Bitouzet-Prieur informs. “Beaune Les Aussy was the only vineyard that showed some signs of stress because the soils are so free-draining. We picked from August 25 until August 31. It was a normal length of harvest, even though the volume was higher. You didn’t have to look out for bunches that were not ripe. I find the 2022s fresher than the 2020s, with slightly lower alcohol. The 2020 vintage was precocious, and I think those wines will drink younger.” This is another domaine where the Volnay Clos des Chênes forms a high point, closely followed by the Caillerets. Amongst the whites, I particularly like the superb Meursault Santenots, which had the audacity to outshine the Les Perrières and Les Charmes.Drink 2026 - 2045Neil Martin, Vinous.com.com (January 2024)

Mid purple, a fresh and energetic fruit overlaid by a couple of riper notes, which add rather than subtract. This is a lovely example of what is in any case a very high-class vineyard. Balanced, not over intense and quite long. A touch of spice to finish.Drink 2030 - 2038Jasper Morris MW, insideburgundy_com (December 2023)