The 2014 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-du-Milieu, cropped at just 17 hectoliters per hectare because of hail damage, has a perfumed, quite candied bouquet with strawberry pastilles, cassis and blueberry scents. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin on the entry, just a touch of hardness to contend with, though there is decent weight on the Pommard-like finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle to find its groove.

The 2013 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots, which lost 75% of the vines, hence the yield of 12hl/ha (50% up on 2012!), had been bottled once month previously. The nose has lively red cherries and kirsch notes that have a light-hearted feel. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly hard tannins that lend this a masculine feel. There is a touch of austerity on the finish, but it should mellow with another 12 months in bottle.

The 2012 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-de-Milieu (of which Francois is re-planting the bottom section) produced – wait for it – eight hectoliters per hectare due to hail and the old vines with a propensity for poor flowering. It has a very pure bouquet with perfumed dark plum and raspberry scents intertwined with minerals. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins exerting a gentle grip. There is plenty of dark berry fruit with a slight lactic edge toward the generous finish. This is very pretty, but it will deserve a decade in bottle. Just two barrels made compared to the usual seven or eight. I have been visiting Francois Mikulski for a number of years. This is a reliable address for Meursault, although like numerous others his crops were depleted in 2012, resulting in the absence of some of this cuvees including some of his Meursault village crus that were blended together. Hail was also significant, reducing Volnay Santenots down to a negligible eight hectoliters per hectare. I tasted his wines from pre-blended bottles that were as close to the final blend as Francois could estimate. Importer: A Becky Wasserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet; fax 011- 333-80-24-29-70

The 2011 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots has a crisp, herbaceous bouquet with attractive undergrowth aromas that are more masculine and tertiary than I anticipated. The palate is tannic on the entry with firm structure. There is a touch of bell pepper on the grippy finish that would benefit from a little more flesh. I think there are better vintages out there. Drink now-2016. It was a pleasure to return to one of my favorite Meursault growers, Francois Mikulski, a conscientious winemaker. His wines offer both broad commercial appeal and the complexity to satisfy aficionados. If I am being honest, I do not think Francois’ 2011s quite hit all the buttons, and occasionally displayed too much herbaceous character. However, they are keenly priced and from my own experience can mature deceptively well, though I think I would enjoy these wines in the flush of youth. Francois told me that he replaced his Gamay with Chardonnay, therefore 2012 will be the last vintage of the Bourgogne Passetoutgrain. Since 2008, Francois has made three barrels of Meix Chavaux, which is orientated east/northeast. No known American importer.

Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; (202) 832-9083.