Voillot
- Burgundy, France
His wines are a masterclass in under-statement, letting the terroir do all the talking via relatively low alcohol levels plus a prudent use of oak (mostly Damy) and sulfur. The magic happens when you allow his wines to age in bottle. Having had the privilege of vintages back to the 1960s, I can vouch that they have an unerring ability to mature with grace and style..."
—Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, December 2013
It was a great pleasure to revisit Domaine Joseph Voillot and taste with Jean-Pierre Charlot and his nephew Etienne Chaix. As Chaix takes the reins, ably counseled by Charlot, the approach to winemaking hasn't changed: what Charlot calls the "bon sens paysan" prevails, with destemmed grapes, classical macerations and modest percentages of new oak—never more than 15%. In the vineyards, however, developments are afoot: pesticides and herbicides have been banished, a welcome evolution that's facilitated by vintages with low humidity and disease pressure. As ever, these are very classically proportioned wines that really repay bottle age: I recently drank several of the domaine's 1985s, for example, and found them exquisitely perfumed and texturally sumptuous. In short, this address comes recommended."
—William Kelley, Wine Advocate, January 2021
This venerable fifth-generation domaine has holdings in the top vineyards of both Volnay and Pommard. Joseph Voillot's son-in-law, Jean Pierre Charlot, is now the managing director; he worked closely with Joseph from 1980 until Joseph’s retirement in 1995.
For many years, Jean Pierre was a professor at the Lycée Viticole in Beaune, where he taught several of Burgundy’s rising stars. He’s a meticulous man, and what interests him is handling the challenging years when the vineyard work, triage at harvest, and careful cellar practices really pay off. It’s immediately evident when tasting through the domaine’s range that these are true “vins de terroir” (thus the judicious use of new oak), and each wine at every level reflects its origin. Anyone who wants to grasp the essence of Volnay and Pommard needs to look no further than Domaine Joseph Voillot.