The medium to dark ruby-colored 2000 Volnay Clos des Chenes reveals complex aromas of black cherries, earth, spices, and blackberries. On the palate it is medium-bodied, intense, deep, and concentrated. Chewy-textured, it sports copious quantities of meaty black fruits. Projected maturity: 2005-2012. A Becky Wasserman Selection / Le Serbet; French Fax: 011-33-3-80-24-29-70, various American importers.

Tasted at the vertical in London, the 2000 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes has a beautiful bouquet that despite coming from a more challenging growing season, has more complexity and more verve than the 2001. Here we have lovely red plum and crushed strawberry scents infused with a light marine influence, a distant tang of seaweed in the air, maybe Japanese nori. The palate is more reflective of its age, quite grainy in texture, ferrous in style and showing some attenuation towards the finish, suggesting that while the nose has flourished in the intervening years, the palate has already peaked and is gently unweaving. Therefore, I would consume this in the not too distant future. Tasted November 2015.