Bouchard Père & Fils Ancienne Cuvée Carnot Les Caillerets Volnay 1er Cru 2012

Tasted blind at the annual ‘Burgfest’ tasting in Beaune. Maybe I underestimated the 2012 Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvee Carnot from Bouchard Père & Fils? Certainly seems so, judging by this gorgeous example. Here, it has a conservative and tightly-controlled bouquet with a touch of soy mixed in with the red berry fruit that does not quite deliver the harmony and poise of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied and bitter on the entry. There is plenty of sour cherry and juniper berry here, edgy and tensile, while the finish is focused and building on that tension to offer great drinkability. On its own like this, it feels severe, but I can imagine it complementing a dinner with great style. Drink date: 2016-2030. Score – 92. (Neal Martin, robertparker.com, Oct. 29, 2015)