Richer and more muscular than the Frémiets, the 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Les Champans evokes notions of cherries, sweet berries, orange rind and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's deep and concentrated, concluding with a long finish. This is the domaine's largest premier cru holding, planted in 1934, 1971 and 1985.

Rich and dramatic, the 2018 Volnay 1er Cru Les Champans unwinds in the glass with aromas of berry conserve, dark chocolate, sweet spices and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, rich and muscular, it's powerful and layered, with what seems to be a somewhat roasted profile that's reminiscent of the 1990 vintage.

The 2016 Volnay 1er Cru les Champans is the largest of Jean-Pierre Charlot's cuvées this year at fifteen barrels. It offers attractive raspberry and wild strawberry scents on the enticing nose, the oak neatly integrated and the terroir showing through. Some lovely undergrowth scents emerge with time. The palate is well balanced, quite broad-shouldered in style with firm tannin, not quite as nuanced as the Caillerets or Fremiets but at least there is substance and girth on the finish. This is what you might call a solid but delicious Champans.

The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Champans has an expressive bouquet for this habitually taciturn domaine (at least in its youth). This is bestowed with a comparatively opulent bouquet with rounded red cherry and wild strawberry scents, almost Santenots-like in style. The palate is supple and rounded on the entry, belying the structure that lies underneath. Yet there is fine grip on the finish and it lingers long and tenderly in the mouth. This has great potential - one of Jean-Pierre Charlot's best wines this vintage.

The 2014 Volnay 1er Cru les Champans is more closed than its Volnay cousins at the moment, although there is certainly plenty of tensile fruit here, more black than red, with hints of orange rind and fig coming through with aeration. The palate is very refined, wonderfully poised with a keen line of acidity, adorned with wonderful symmetry towards the finish. This is just superb - a sophisticated Champans for long-term ageing.