Les Sept Chênes

Domaine François Buffet

Clos des Chênes Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2023

Lyle Fass
9.8

Glory is this wine. Just one of the best wines in Burgundy now. After the 22 I had large expectations and this surpassed them. Nose is just bananas. Not literal bananas. The other type of bananas. The most complex cherry diaspora. Sour, mid season, late season and black. Spice galore and florals up the wazoo. Earth, limestone, dead leaves, living leaves and wet leaves. The nose is a 9.8 on the pop and pour. Just insane. Wild mint. What stands out the most is the layering and the clarity. Also the breadth. Wow that inner mouth perfume and endless, boundless energy that has the same fruit energy as La Tache. What I mean by that is this wine, yes can be about minerals as CDC is rocky, but man the fruit in 22 and now 23 is just in another register. Sappy, poised and clear as the sky is blue on a cloudless day. Yes the tannins are firm but you know with air they will melt into the fruit. The nobility of this site never fails to blow me away. Unreal concentration and density and just insane length. The tannins are velvety, sweet and intense but so so high class. Nose has so much florality, spice and red cherry fruit one cannot believe it. This is just insane. It’s almost a perfect wine. The balance is just beyond and the structure is incredible. This is a 50 year CDC. What a finish. Let’s see where this goes. After an hour the nose is remarkable. So deep, so nuanced, so spicy, so floral. Provocative. Palate is silky, sweet and so dense. Pumps the fruit out like an old set of Wilson Puppies. Unreal balance and purity. But this is built like a brick house. Let’s see where this goes. Will unfurl more but it’s a slow one! The concentration and tiny berry fruit intensity is off the charts. — 8 hours ago

Jay, Ron and 6 others liked this
Zach D

Zach D

I’m saving a bottle of this for my 40th bday in September. Can’t wait!
Zach D

Zach D

Rather I’m going to drink one and age the others
Zach D

Zach D

2022 vintage

Bouchard Père et Fils

Clos des Chênes Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2002

It looks like I am trying to explain how much I love this wine. Or, how this wine is the reason people love Burgundy. Or, how the umami and fruit weave together without a touch of alcohol. Or, how … — 7 months ago

Severn, Ira and 9 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Niiiiccccceeeee!

Emmanuel Darnaud

Les Trois Chênes Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2020

Youthful medium-dark color, great red and blackfruit aromas and flavors, excellent balancing acidity, still shows quite a bit of structure, but tannins are not harsh, I’d guess 3-5 more years of further aging is merited, but it may last much longer than that, long, lingering finish, excellent Crozes!! — 9 days ago

Jim Powers
with Jim
Bob, Tom and 4 others liked this

Domaine Leflaive

Les Chênes Mâcon-Verzé Chardonnay

This was so mineral driven it masked the fruit. Super clean and fresh. — 4 months ago

Scott@Mister and Ron liked this

Domaine Manciat-Poncet

"Les Chênes" Mâcon Charnay Chardonnay

Very refined French Chardonnay, served with dinner at friends’ house in Amherst, MA — 8 months ago

Francois Gaunoux

Le Clos des Chênes Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2016

From a bottle that had been opened earlier in the evening. The 2016 “La Clos des Chênes” pours a ruby color with a slightly watery rim and a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart red fruit: strawberry, cranberry, raspberry, sous bois, red flowers, some animale, mushrooms and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose with a medium+ finish. A Volnay of good character. Drink now through 2036.
— 15 days ago

Dave, Jan and 13 others liked this

Xavier Monnot

Clos des Chênes Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir

Just another silky wine from Xavier — 2 months ago

Mario
with Mario
Mario, Tom and 1 other liked this

Domaine Jean-Michel Gaunoux

Clos des Chênes Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2017

2017 vintage. Punchy and unconsolidated like a younger sibling. Plenty of moments of great height afoot. Medium-heavy body. Not as well knit as I'd like given the year/age and da money. Flighty here, tangents there. Still, tasting the wine, the pedigree and quality are evident. 01.04.25. — 6 months ago

Severn, Daniel and 10 others liked this

Réyane & Pascal Bouley

Clos des Chênes Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2012

Lovely.

Nose: terrific old burgundy cherry and library dust. As this opens classic lilacs.

Palate: sweet cherry. Earthy.

Fass selections

— 9 months ago

PS and Andrew liked this