2005 Nicolas Potel Volnay 1er Cru Santenots (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru)

Exactly what I was looking for tonight. Served with Cornish Game Hens marinated in garlic and herbs. Pretty dark red color. Completely translucent. Nice structure and acidity, but the fresh, crushed berry flavors and aromas along with nice minerality are what makes this wine special. Sappy. Nice elegance in the wine, but it also shows just a hint rustic. A nice contradiction here. I opened it early, and it's got a way to go, but this wasn't infanticide and it wasn't a waste. Lovely wine that can be consumed with very high enjoyment right now.

2005 Bitouzet-Prieur Volnay 1er Cru Pitures (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru)

Maybe the craziest wine I've ever tasted. I followed it over the course of three nights and it's really a Jeckyll & Hyde kind of wine. On night one, this was thin, watery, acidic, oaky and it reeked of dill pickle and brine. Nearly undrinkable that night. On night two, the fruit had plushed up, the acid retreated and the oak was gone. The dill pickle was still there though, and it's really difficult for me to get beyond this. On night three, this wine had morphed into what I thought it would start out like. Nice fruit, silky texture, good balance, some earth and minerality, as well as some smoke and leather. And the tannins and structure finally showed me that this has serious aging potential. Unfortunately, Only a third of this bottle was had when it was in a place that it was drinking well in. If you must open this now, aim to decant for many hours.

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1993 Robert Ampeau & Fils Volnay 1er Cru Santenots (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru)

Best bottle yet. Amazingly fresh and vigorous wine with great balance and an intriguingly dark fruit profile. Really nice tertiary aromas and flavors. Autumnal leaves, tree bark, earth, blackberry and plum with good tobacco and a nice dose of acid. Great stuff.

2003 Vincent Girardin Volnay 1er Cru Santenots (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru)

Drank this side by side with the 1993 Ampeau Volnay Santenots, and the wines could not have been more different. This was clearly marked by a hot vintage by its sweet and luscious fruit. Almost could have passed for some cool climate California Pinot. Very good wine though as long as one doesn't expect finesse and high acidity. Chosen to pair with Filet and grilled vegetables, and it was a great match. Velvety texture and should hold for a few more years, although it doesn't seem like it'll age for decades.

1993 Robert Ampeau & Fils Volnay 1er Cru Santenots (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru)

Third time I've had this wine and it's been consistently good. Tertiary smells and flavors. Leafy tobacco and tree bark with some very elegant yet rustic red fruits. Finishes strong and long. Should have another few years left in the tank without a doubt.

2002 Louis Jadot Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Barre (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru)

Opened last night and popped and poured, and it was very primary. Once again, I assume my 55 degree cellar keeps them nicely young and vibrant. Tonight, the wine shows a little less primary, with a hint of secondary aromas and flavors. Clearly a dark fruited example of Burgundy, which, based on my limited experience with Volnay is fairly typical. A little tight still on the nose, but a lot going on the palate. Just great blackberry and plum fruit that is focused and precise. Long, dry finish (not to be confused with drying) with some hoisin sauce in the back of the palate. This has quite a bit of tannin to resolve, I believe. This was a gigantic QPR in my opinion when I purchased the wine (around $30 per bottle). For me, this is just now entering its drinking window, but I believe it'll drink much better in 3-5 years. With that said, I like my wines with quite a bit of age, so your mileage may vary.