The 2022 Vintage
– “Bountiful and beautiful” Jasper Morris
“As is almost always the case when the quality is consistent, the best reds were made in Volnay, Pommard, Beaune and the Hill of Corton.” Burghound on 2022 Cote de Beaune reds
2022 at Francois Buffet
– Equal to d’Angerville, Lafarge, Jean-Marc Bouley and Comte Armand
– Another Leap in Quality
Francois Buffet
– One of Burgundy’s Top New Producers Bar None
– When These Wines Are Open, They Can Go Toe to Toe with Pretty Much Anyone
– Prices Are Still so Inexpensive Its Ridiculous
– Among the Most Delicious Wines in Burgundy
– Phenomenal Levels of Density and Complexity
– Wines That Slow Your Perception of Reality
– Brisset Is More About Elegance…
– …but for Pure Pleasure, You Cannot Beat these Wines At This Price
Drink These Wines and Laugh at the “Burgundy Is So Expensive” Crowd
– Brisset Is More About Elegance…
– …but for Pure Pleasure, You Cannot Beat these Wines At This Price
2022 Francois Buffet Volnay 1er Cru “Champans”
– A Grand Slam Home Run
– The 2017 Vaporized a 98 Chateau Latour Side by Side
– Why You Pay for Volnay
– Nose: Licorice Flower
– Condensed God’s Perfume
– Let Me Die Now Good … And That’s Just The Nose
– Palate: Simply Perfect, Flawless
– Dense … But Volnay Dens
– Incredible Fruit Quality
– Concentrated Lilacs
– So Dense, So Sweet
– Hints of Truffle
– Wine of the Year Quality
– Only $67.99
– 91-93 Points Burghound
– Compare Other Top Champans Producers at $100-$230 – 72 bottles
2022 Francois Buffet Volnay
– Gorgeous Nose – Almost Dizzying Aromatics
– Luscious Dark Black Cherries and Darker Red Cherries
– Off the Charts Fruit Clarity
– Spice, Earth, Tree Bark
– Complex Herbs
– Palate: Superb Complexity and Freshness
– Amazing Compact Quality
– So Pure and Balanced
– Complex and so Mineral
– Profoundly Delicious
– Wonderful Spice
– As Classic As Village Volnay Gets – 89-91 Points Burghound
– The Mineral/Fruit Combo is Something Only Red Burgundy Can do at this Level
The 2022 Vintage
It’s time to talk about the 2022 red Burgundies of Francois Buffet. First of all Buffet has been on fire since 2019. 19/20/21 are 3 back to back back vintages in a row that can compete with any 3 back to back to back vintages from anywhere in Burgundy. But how could 22 be better? Because it was and Buffet has made another leap in quality. The 22s are astonishing wines and the best set of Cote de Beaune reds I have ever tasted. It’s like a masterclass in the Cote de Beaune from Savigny Les Beaune 1er Cru “Les Narbantons” to Volnay 1er Cru “Clos des Chenes.”
The wines are sensual which is the first word that comes to mind. Each sniff and smell elicits an emotional reaction.
– They have elite aromatics that have clarity not seen before in the wines of Buffet.
– The detail is remarkable.
– The texture is about as good as it gets for the Cote de Beaune which combined with the sensual and melty tannins makes each sip that make the drinker have an emotional reaction.
It’s now one of those estates that when you take a sip and sniff all you can think and talk about is how great the wines are. From bottom to top Buffet slayed the dragon and now has to be considered at the top of the pile in the Cote de Beaune.
Equal to d’Angerville, Lafarge, Jean-Marc Bouley and Comte Armand.
Buffet has arrived and to give me a pat on the back I found them when they were not critically acclaimed and now they have other importers and are now allocated. Which brings me to the next point.
Up first is the 2022 Francois Buffet Volnay 1er Cru “Champans” for $67.99 a bottle a 3-pack. First look at some of the prices for good to top Champans in 2020
2021 Joseph Voillot – $120 – $155
2021 Marquis d’Angerville – $160-$295
2022 Pierrick Bouley – $120-$250
Stunning, killer nose. So aromatic, gentle and delicate. So much spice and depth. Sweet spice, exotic ginger, gorgeous and perfectly ripe mid to late season cherries. One of those noses that is just belies the color. But I think I’ve had enough light colored Pinot to know that those usually have some of the most pungent and aromatic noses out there. It has stunning florals after some air. I was shocked how aromatically open this was at this point and in the cold cellar conditions. Just a stunning wine. Combine Buffet’s gentle, expressive style, the forward lusciousness and insane extract of the 2022 vintage and the early appeal of Champans this wine is a grand slam home run. This is the Buffet that will make you fall in love with the estate like I did.
On the palate, there is uncommon depth here, with stunning textured, that is silky, velvety and pushes lively ripe sweet mid season cherry gracefully across your palate mineral overtones that weave in and out of the heavenly texture. There is an incredible concentrated lilac elementhere that takes this to another level. Interwoven spice as well. Super juicy with stunning inner mouth aromas that accent the florals and sweet cherry fruit. The balance is just gorgeous. It’s liquid silk. There is a hidden structure that I know will make this a terrific mid term ager. I’d say that based on experience from other Champans, but the winery was gracious to open a 2010 Volnay Champans and it was stunning and exhibited truffle elements and amazing complexity and texture. Truly a brilliant starting to get secondary Champans. I think the 2022 Francois Buffet Volnay 1er Cru Champans will drink wonderful from day 1 and age 10-15 years but will be at peak in 2029 or so.
“Nicely ripe and fresh aromas are composed by notes of plum, black cherry and floral hints. The rich, refined and energetic medium-bodied flavors also flash evident minerality on the dusty, balanced and youthfully austere finish that is noticeably firmer. At least some patience advised.” – BH (91-93)
The Wines
Next, we have the 2022 Francois Buffet Volnay AC for $47.99 a bottle. Gorgeous nose. Luscious dark black cherries and darker red cherries. Spicey and deep. Ethereal and heavenly. So deep and so enveloping. Gorgeous dusty tree bark, some soy as well. Stunning. Best village nose of any Buffet Volnay I’ve had. The fruit clarity is off the charts. Gorgeous saline aspect on the nose. Now the florals are kicking in. With air it gets so, so good. Almost dizzying. Wonderful haunting aromas of mid to late season cherries, spice, earth, tree bark, hint of sweet cherry. Some complex herbs and a wonderful hint of iodine. Love salt aromas in red wines. Classic haunting Volnay. The depth and breadth plus the clarity make this a step above all other Buffet village Volnays.
On the palate, you get superb complexity and freshness and the fruit is way redder. Amazing compact quality and so pure and balanced. Complex and so mineral. Wonderful sweetness and textures with gorgeous purity and big tannins buffered by intense minerality. This is profoundly delicious. A lithe but substantial structure. Wow the mineral/fruit combo is only something Burgundy can do at this level. What sweet, velvety tannins. A beautiful bottle of Volnay. Juicy and silky with molten tannins. This tastes like 1er cru. Amazing concentration. so deep and so pure. Very long 1er cru quality with amazing tannins and length.
This improved vastly with air, getting darker, more dark fruit driven and so sapid. brilliant! What an elegant, masterful palate. Lithe and fresh. So complex and wonderful spice. Terrific velvety tannins and tremendous spice and so so fresh. Such terrific energy and linearity. Elegant and wonderful. This as classic as village Volnay gets and gets a turbo boost of freshness in the finish as that’s what 22 is about. So fine and refined. Lovely finish and great building persistence.
“Pretty and airy aromas include those of red cherry, currant and a touch of spice. The racy, delicious and refined flavors exude evident minerality on the youthfully austere, sculpted and lingering finale. This is a lovely Volnay villages for drinking over the short to mid-term.” – 89-91 Points, Burghound
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