Volnay AC; Volnay-Santenots AC [vawl-NAY sahn-tuh-NOH]
The village of Volnay sits high up on the hill between Meursault and Pommard in the Côte de Beaune area of France’s Burgundy region. As one heads south, the Volnay AC is the last appellation in the Côte de Beaune (until the Santenay AC) that focuses on red wines. These pinot noir-based wines are generally of high quality, and the Volnay AC has an above-average reputation. Their reputation extends back to the 1300s, when they were a favorite of Phillipe de Valois, the Duke of Burgundy. In the 1400s, these wines were a favorite of Louis XI. Although Volnay has no grand cru vineyards, it has more acreage assigned to premier cru vineyards than to those for the regular Volnay AC. The better premier cru vineyards include Bousse d’Or, Les Caillerets, Les Champans, Clos des Chênes, and Clos des Ducs. The wines range from a lighter, elegant, silky style to those that are more full-bodied (see body) and tannic. The Volnay-Santenots AC is for six red-wine-producing vineyards that, although actually located in Meursault, are allowed to use Volnay-Santenots AC on their label.
The New Wine Lovers Companion, 2nd Edition, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Copyright © (1) 2003, 1995 by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.