Domaine Jean-Marc et Thomas Bouley Volnay 2019

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Vine Age: Planted 1960-2, 1975, 1984-7, 1990-9

Terroir: 5 parcels facing southeast: Les Blanches 2/3 from lower slope (deeper clay soils) and 1/3 from upper slope situated above Clos des Chênes (shallow limestone soil)

Viticulture: Lutte raisonnée

Vinification: 100% de-stemmed, indigenous yeast fermentation in concrete or stainless steel tank. Punch-downs, pump-overs, minimal added sulfur. Aged for 18 months on fine lees in barrel (10-15% new). Fined as wine is transferred to tank pre-bottling.

About Jean-Marc & Thomas Bouley

From father to son through numerous generations, the Bouley family cultivates vineyards in Volnay. In the last century, from 1919, François Bouley manages the family estate. Christian will succeed him in 1948. Jean-Marc creates his own Domain in 1974, to which his father’s vineyards are added in 1984.

In 2002, Thomas joins the Domain and takes the management in 2012. His main objective is to join the great Domains in Volnay and he’s doing all the right things!

Historically both Volnay and neighbouring village Pommard were considered to produce bold, often tannic reds. A signature of their terroir they said.

Yet today we are seeing a softening of the wines, more plush and pliant tannins. This goes to my point that terroir includes the hand of the maker.

Bouley’s wines fit into this mold.

In the Vineyard

Today the Domaine has near 9Ha across 29 plots in Volnay, Pommard and Beaune.

To produce exceptional wines, it is important to have beautiful grapes. To express the mineral from the soil and the underground, a good microbial life is essential.

In this respect, we use neither weedkillers nor chemical fertilizers. All our vines are ploughed.

The manual work of pruning, de-budding and trellising have evolved to keep only 6 to 8 bunches of grapes per plant and evenly spaced.

In the Winery

The harvest is manual. The grapes are then sorted at the winery on a vibrating table. The fermentation takes between 2 and 3 weeks. Diverse decisions are made to adapt to the vintage and to each appellation.

Ageing is done entirely in oak barrels and will take from 15 to 20 months.

The 2019 Vintage at Jean-Marc & Thomas Bouley

I looked at Bouley’s bottled 2019s, which confirmed their status as one of his finest vintages to date. I’d rank them on the level of Thomas’s formidable 2015s, and he agrees, suggesting that while the raw materials in 2015 were even better, he feels that he realized the potential of 2019 even more fully. These are, of course, very fine distinctions: what’s much clearer is that, considering the élite quality of the viticulture and winemaking at this address, to say nothing of an enviable palette of appellations, these wines are some of the most underpriced in Burgundy today.

William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

Where in the World is Jean-Marc & Thomas Bouley?

Jean-Marc & Thomas Bouley are based in the village of Volnay in the Côte du. Beaune with their prize holdings in Volnay and Pommard including a series of Premier Crus.