The 2020 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots wafts from the glass with aromas of cherries, sweet berries and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and lively palate with a rich core of sweet fruit that largely conceals its powdery structuring tannins. Gourmand and enveloping, it's a seamless, fleshy Santenots that will reward but not demand a bit of patience.

The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots offers quite sultry, black, earthy fruit on the nose, touches of cracked black pepper and later a faint iodine scent. The palate is quite masculine with good grip, the tannins a little gruff at the moment, but there is plenty of freshness here. I would have just preferred more restraint and finesse on the finish, though it is keeping with the style of Volnay Santenots that often leans towards the richer side. This is a muscular Volnay, one that I would therefore keep in the cellar for 4-5 years.

The 2014 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots, matured in 30% new oak, has a much more lively, concentrated nose than the Pommard with lifted red currant and Morello fruit, the oak nicely integrated. The palate is fresh on the entry with slightly bitter tannin, whilst the wood just seems to dominate the finish at the moment and needs to be integrated by the completion of its élevage.

Cropped at just 21 hectoliter per hectare and including 30% whole bunch, the 2013 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots was not affected by hail. (The vines were planted by Michel Buisson with his father back in 1951.) It has a very pure and quite floral nose, the 30% new oak well integrated, with strawberry pastilles and Morello scents developing with time. The palate is well balanced with fine, quite tensile tannin. There is a satisfactory level of fruit here, but what stands out is the finesse and precision toward the conservative finish.

The 2010 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots, which comes from more limestone soils that conjoin Les Cras and contains 100% whole-cluster fruit, has an impressive bouquet with fine vigor: black plum, touches of black tea and black pepper. The palate is fresh and vibrant with firm tannins, is quite masculine at the moment, structured and serious with a fine, fresh finish that needs more bottle age to develop the persistency. Drink 2018-2028. Importers: Vintner Select, www.vintnerselect.com, Cincinnati, OH; Milton Road Trading Corp, LLC, www.miltonroadtrading.com, Napa, CA; Scott Paul Wines, www.scottpaul.com, Portland, OR; Martine-s Wines, www.martineswines.com, Novato, CA; Import Wines, Middleton, WI, Old World Importing, Inc., www.oldworldimporting.com, Eagle, CO. Also available in the UK from Flint Wines, www.flintwines.com, Latimer Vintners, www.latimervintners.com, and Roberson Wine, www.roberson.co.uk and Anthony Sarjeant.