92-94pts William Kelley, Wine Advocate
There's only one barrel of the 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets, but it's one of the high points of the range, soaring from the glass with notes of peonies, orange rind, wild berries and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, layered and ethereal, it's long and mineral, with bright acids and a saline finish.
92-95pts Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy
From 1962, “the best grapes we have”, says Thierry, who can therefore use 50% whole bunch. Lovely mid crimson, gorgeous rose petal nose with some alpine strawberry. A very fine and complex nose. All this continues on the palate with some pure cherry notes as well, this is very fine and very persistent, not making a massive in your face statement but it is beautiful wine.
Estate Summary
Thierry Glantenay is one of the humblest, most discreet winemakers I visited in Burgundy, but that shouldn't lead anyone to underestimate the quality of his wines, or the incremental but meaningful progress he makes every year. 2020's initiative was to end roganage (trimming the vines) by tractor: instead, Thierry now trims by hand, with shears, letting the canopies grow higher in emulation of his upstairs neighbor in Les Rugiens, Thomas Bouley. As I wrote last year, Glantenay prefers to let temperature and alcohol do the work of extraction for him, keeping pigéage and rémontage to a minimum. He presses gently, and élevage, without racking until the mise en bouteille, takes place in at most 30% new barrels. I'd nominate these 2019s as Glantenay's finest vintage since 2015, and they are very promising wines that still carry a much more modest tariff than a number of producers who don't work as well in the vineyards or the cellar.
