If there's one village in the Côte de Beaune I would choose for red Burgundy, it's Volnay. No village is as synonymous with a trio of star leaders steeped in history as that of Marquis d'Angerville, De Montille, and Michel Lafarge. There's little confusion in glass, as these domaines have distinctive tell-tale signs.

Marquis d'Angerville is the model of Volnay sophistication. De-stemmed, fruit-forward, with plush and polished tannins, mainly coming from the pump over-only protocol during ferment. This house style meshes brilliantly with the chalky, heavily limestone-dominant Volnay terroir.

De Montille takes the reverse route, relying only on whole-cluster vinification with punch downs. The wines can be pale, but on the palate, the grip and piano-string tautness of structure scream classicism—a throwback to the late patriarch Hubert de Montille's aesthetic. While son, Etienne de Montille has slowly adopted techniques to turn out slightly more approachable wines, these are still very much rooted in the old-school style, and for this, I love the breath of fresh air.

Michel Lafarge tugs at my heartstrings. Tradition can mean so many things in Burgundy, but using hand-destemming and reliance on mainly older barrels for aging places this domaine in a unique position. Pumpovers mainly here. It may be unfair to categorize Volnay as feminine and ethereal, leading one to believe the wines lack the rigid structure required for serious aging, which always brings my mind to Levi Dalton's interview with Michel's son, Fredric, on I'll Drink to That—one of my favorites of the nearly 500 episodes to date. This quote sticks with me and perhaps is the single most overriding element of today's best Volnays.

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Volnay and its high limestone content sit in rare company with Chambolle-Musigny as one of Burgundy's most ethereal and delicate examples of Pinot Noir. While there may be no Grand Crus in the village, savvy collectors know these top Premier Crus transform and go the long haul, as nearly anything from the Côte de Nuits.

D'Angerville, as well as De Montille, is at the apex of what's been proven possible here in Volnay for decades. Pronounced structure and tightly-coiled mineral tension make these perfect wines to stash in the cellar, though they now have a more open-knit style than has been standard in the past.

D'Angerville's protocol of excluding punch-downs and relying solely on pump-overs for fermentation gives these wines a plush and soft-fruited personality that meshes brilliantly with the chalky terroir of Volnay. This combo brings enough slight austerity to make these delicious and supremely thought-provoking.

A note from Wine Advocate's William Kelley on the 2020 vintage: "The vintage that on paper was the most extreme of the 2020-2019-2018 trio has in fact delivered the most fine-boned, pretty wines of them all. Perfumed, vibrant and beautifully balanced, this is a compellingly delicate, precise portfolio that comes warmly recommended."

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Volnay and its high limestone content sit in rare company with Chambolle-Musigny as one of Burgundy's most ethereal and delicate examples of Pinot Noir. While there may be no Grand Crus in the village, savvy collectors know these top Premier Crus transform and go the long haul, as nearly anything from the Côte de Nuits.

D'Angerville and De Montille are at the apex of what's been proven possible here in Volnay for decades. Pronounced structure and tightly-coiled mineral tension make D'Angerville and De Montille perfect domaines to stash in the cellar, yet each has a more open-knit style than has been standard in the past.

D'Angerville's protocol of excluding punch-downs and relying solely on pump-overs for fermentation gives these wines a plush and soft-fruited personality that meshes brilliantly with the chalky terroir of Volnay. This combo brings enough slight austerity to make these delicious and supremely thought-provoking.

De Montille is associated with whole-cluster ferments. That elevated exotic spice component and stemmy crunch made these famous for their fortress-like persona during the Hubert de Montille era. As son Etienne has taken over, recent decades have moved toward rounder structure. There hasn't been a huge style shift from one generation to the next. Rather, Etienne is simply keen on allowing wines to offer more joy and expression sooner.

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As Burgundy is the backbone of our selections, you can imagine the #1 question I receive is on recommendations for under-the-radar and younger producers making waves. There are very few names I put in the same category as Thomas Bouley of Volnay. And concerning one of the Côte de Beaune's legendary vineyards, Bouley's example is the first place I turn.

Today, I'm happy to offer the 2016 & 2017 Jean-Marc Bouley Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes.

2019's October tasting with Thomas Bouley was followed by dinner with a Côte de Nuits producer where the question was posed about favorite under-radar-producers. When I mentioned where I had just finished tasting, the group around the table concurred, as all have been lucky enough to taste these incredibly concentrated and elegant Pinot Noirs from the Côte de Beaune village most associated with finesse. The famed "Iron Fist in the Velvet Glove" descriptor is reserved for these best Volnay sites and only most capable stewards.

Clos des Chênes comes from just a 0.43-hectare parcel of vines planted in 1951 and 1971 near the vineyard's upper portion. Grapes are mostly de-stemmed, fermentation takes place in concrete, and élevage is in 20% new French oak barrels.

Family succession in Burgundy can lead a domaine in many directions. The stewardship of Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley by Thomas starting in 2012 has proven to be a tremendous success. Thomas joined in 2002 to work alongside his father, and throughout that time, the domaine's popularity steadily grew.

Why does Bouley's work stand out from a region filled with young talent? The top wines walk that high-wire balance between sappy, concentrated fruit and deft incorporation of new wood – it's this marriage that really sounded the fireworks upon initially tasting. Perhaps the biggest change since Thomas took over in 2012 has been the stark fine-ness to the wines. It's impossible to miss. Out of his range, Clos des Chênes really captures this quality the very most.