Tasted at the Clos des Chênes vertical in London, the 1988 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes was unequivocally one of the standouts of this memorable tasting. It races out of the blocks like Usain Bolt running after a departing bus: a complex, sensual, crystalline perfume of raspberry, kirsch, dried herbs and a faint hint of cola. The palate offers startling precision and detail, the mineralité locked into this Volnay with an energetic, sage-tinged finish that just goes on and on. Frédéric Lafarge remarked that for the first 12 years this was very backward, so for those with the nous to cellar wines the appropriate duration, you have a bona fide classic Volnay on your hands. Tasted November 2015.