Coche-Dury : Volnay 1er cru "Santenots - Hospices de Beaune Cuvee Gauvin" 2017

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of the Volnay 1er Cru "Santenots - Hospices de Beaune Cuvée Gauvin" 2017 Coche-Dury

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a deep, brilliant red robe with purple hues and a notably dense, almost black-tinged core, more intense than is typically seen in a Volnay.

Nose

The nose opens on a vivid array of red and black fruit - black cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant and blueberry - layered with a touch of menthol, light smoky and reductive notes, undergrowth, mushroom and spice, all carried by a persistent sense of freshness.

Palate

The palate is concentrated yet never heavy, with ripe fruit perfectly integrated into a lively, well-structured acidity. The tannins are fine and silky, giving the wine a smooth, precise texture, while the finish stays long, juicy and energetic, echoing the red and black fruit, spice and smoky nuances perceived on the nose.

Food and wine pairings

This Volnay 1er cru pairs beautifully with duck dishes and free-range lamb, as well as offal served with a rich Madeira-style sauce. More broadly, it suits flavorful yet refined meat preparations, including roasted poultry and red meats accompanied by savory, lightly spiced sauces.

Serving and cellaring

The Volnay 1er cru "Santenots - Hospices de Beaune Cuvée Gauvin" 2017 shows a fresh, well-built profile with fine tannins that point to real aging potential. In its youth, the wine can display some reductive and slightly effervescent traits, so decanting and a little patience are recommended to let it fully unfold.

A Volnay Premier Cru from the Hospices de Beaune, Shaped by the Hand of Coche-Dury

The Estate

Domaine Coche-Dury took its current name in 1975, when Jean-François Coche married Odile Dury, continuing a family winegrowing activity based in Meursault, in Burgundy's Côte de Beaune. The estate spans roughly ten hectares, mostly planted with chardonnay, alongside pinot noir plots in Volnay and Pommard and a holding in Corton-Charlemagne. Since 2010, Raphaël Coche, Jean-François's son, has run the property together with his wife Charline. Coche-Dury is internationally recognized for the purity and precision of its wines, particularly its highly sought-after white Burgundies.

The Vineyard

The grapes for this cuvée come from two parcels belonging to the Hospices de Beaune, Les Plures and Santenots du Milieu, within the Volnay 1er cru appellation in the Côte de Beaune. Together they cover about 1.4 hectares, facing east to southeast on gently sloping ground. The soils are described as light, stony clay, offering good drainage and even ripening, conditions that favor an early harvest and contribute to the wine's richness balanced with elegance.

The Vintage

The 2017 vintage followed the more difficult 2016 season, and Burgundy benefited overall from comparatively favorable weather conditions that year. At the Hospices de Beaune auction, twenty-four barrels of the Cuvée Gauvin were offered for the 2017 vintage, a quantity suggesting a generous harvest in terms of volume.

Winemaking and aging

The Volnay 1er cru "Santenots - Hospices de Beaune Cuvée Gauvin" 2017 is first vinified by the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune before being sold as barrels at the institution's annual auction, held on the third Sunday of November. Several of these barrels were then acquired and aged by Coche-Dury, which applied its own meticulous approach to élevage and bottling, bringing its recognized precision and finesse to this Hospices cuvée.

Grape Varieties

This wine is produced from 100% pinot noir, the sole grape variety permitted in the Volnay appellation.