Guillaume’s grandfather was succeeded by his father, Marquis Jacques d’Angerville, who continued in his father’s footsteps, constantly striving for the best quality possible. The wines went from strength to strength and are coveted by wine lovers all over the world. Sadly Guillaume d’Angerville had to fill his father’s shoes prematurely, after Jacques’ untimely death in 2003. He heads a team which includes his brother-in-law, Renaud de Villette, who had worked alongside Jacques for a number of years, and François Duvivier in the vineyard and cellar.

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville – the vineyards

The Domaine comprises fifteen hectares of which over eight are premier cru vineyards – an impressive and enviable portfolio. The slope here is rather different from the Côte de Nuits, steep initially then gliding gently. The soil is marl, interspersed with pockets of limestone thought to be key to Volnay’s famous finesse and elegance. The d’Angerville house and cellars sit absolutely at the heart of the village of Volnay, alongside the Domaine’s monopole vineyard premier cru Clos des Ducs . This is a breathtakingly beautiful vineyard, something of a very magical, extended garden. The soil profile is complex, the top, steeper part of the slope, planted on thin soil over limestone, brings finesse and elegance; lower down it is deeper, providing structure.

The soil profile of Champans 1er Cru , shows similar complexity to Clos des Ducs; thin soil over limestone on the steeper, upper slope making finer styles with the down-slope providing structure and depth.

Les Fremiets 1er Cru lies on the Pommard side, on south-east facing slopes. The vines, planted on very thin soil over limestone, dig deeply in search of nutrients, making for greater intensity and purity.

Taillepieds and Les Caillerets are in the southern part of Volnay, heading towards Meursault. They are known for their balance, opulence, structure and finesse.

In addition to these premiers crus , the Domaine also owns tiny parcels of Les Angles, Les Pitures and L’Ormeau (now known as Volnay Mitans.) To date, these have been brought together as Volnay 1er Cru , along with any young vine fruit from other premiers crus as the parcels are too small to label separately. In 2007, Guillaume d’Angerville acquired an additional parcel of Les Angles and there will be a 1er Cru Les Angles from the 2008 vintage.

There is also a straightforward villages Volnay , half a hectare of Meursault Les Santenots and a small parcel of lieu dit Les Combes Dessus , in Pommard .

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville – the philosophy

Renaud de Villette and François Duvivier have always had a solicitous approach to the vineyards, ever aware of their responsibility to great terroir . The Domaine has been experimenting with biodynamic viticulture for many years but will be fully biodynamic from 2009.

In the most simplistic terms, biodynamic viticulture is based on an understanding of natural phenomena. It embraces cosmic rhythms, philosophy and metaphysics as much as agricultural disciplines. It encourages a complex variety of species which make for a living, breathing soil and healthier, disease-resistant vines. Whilst we cannot begin to explain the process, we can report that we have noted an enhanced purity in wines where biodynamic viticulture is practiced.

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville – the cellar

The grapes undergo rigorous selection both in the vineyard and in the cellar. The grapes are de-stemmed, briefly cold-soaked and fermented at relatively low temperatures, 30ºC maximum, the better to retain freshness. Pinot Noir is a fragile grape, requiring gentle handling and sensitive use of oak.

The Domaine prefers to preserve the purity of Pinot Noir and the personality of the various terroirs so only 15% new oak is used.

Visit Domaine Marquis d'Angerville's website for more information, including excellent interactive maps locating each vineyard