The Coche 2008 Volnay 1er Cru represents – as always with this bottling – a blend from small parcels of Taillepieds and Clos des Chenes. Lightly-cooked cherry, fresh ginger, white pepper, beef marrow, cherry pit and chalk are the principle themes of a handsomely-polished, buoyant, and intensely piquant and pungent Pinot that initially more resembles Clos des Chenes. As it opens, smoky black tea, peat and animal nuances emerge that point toward Taillepieds. The upshot is a complex and gripping, but also a downright refreshing, performance of which I would guess one won’t tire (or it won’t) for 10-12 years at the earliest. As is usually the case – although I confess to not having a chance to taste them every year – Jean-Francois Coche rendered excellent Pinots in 2008, wines which one perhaps stands a chance of acquiring more easily than is possible with his fabled whites. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524