The history of actual Domaine Henri Boillot began in the early 1900s when this family started producing wine in Burgundy, in the areas of Puligny-Montrachet and Volnay. Among the outstanding figures of this winery it is worth mentioning Henri’s grandfather (also Henri), the first to take advantage of the vineyards owned by the Boillot family, and his son Jean who considerably expanded the vineyards owned. Henri entered the domaine around 1975 and began to take charge of it until he became responsible around the early 90s, while already in 1995 he began to implement the wines produced, thanks to a careful work as a negociant. Since 2008 Henri is joined by his son Guiillaume who, since 2012, directs the work in the vineyard and supervises the vinification of reds.
In the 14 hectares of vineyards this house work is characterized by an interaction with nature as respectful as possible, with the interventions on the plants reduced to a minimum, according to a currently very fashionable philosophy that was already applied here in the 90s. At the same time, Henri continues to buy grapes from some trusted negociants whose names have remained secret for over 40 years, but whose grapes are said to have a quality level that many producers can only dream of achieving. In the cellar, of course, the followed principle is to exalt as much as possible the great quality of the harvested grapes, counting on old school vinifying and aging principles.
As for Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets, for example, the grapes come from vines more than 50 years old, planted on a clay-calcareous soil of 2.4 hectares, with a density of 10,000 plants per hectare, whose yield does not exceed 30 hectoliters per hectare. Once carely handpicked and arrived in the cellar, the grapes are checked twice on the sorting table, before being de-stemmed manually and left to cold macerate (8 degrees centigrade). The alcoholic fermentation, which lasts about one month and is accompanied by constant fullings, to extract the maximum color and flavor from the berries, is followed by a period of aging of about 18 months before bottling, without filtration, and marketing.
The 2010 vintage, still entirely managed by Henri, has a garnet color with a principle of orange on the edge, and an olfactory range that opens with notes of wild strawberry, black cherry grenade, pomegranate and pot pourri, followed by bloody orange, black olive, vinyl and youthful leather, with incense and empyrumatic endings. The palate is radiated by a vibrant acidity and an intense and elegant tannic texture, on the background of which emerge a hint of softness and flavor; all enriched by the return of red fruit, spices and the empyrrheumatic component that accompany the sip until an excellent length closing.
Rating: 90/100
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