The 1999 Volnay Roncerets was tasted twice, once in Rossignol's cellar and once in the United States. The barrel sample would not have been recommended, as it appeared too disjointed. In the bottle, however, this medium to dark ruby-colored wine reveals a demure, black fruit-based aromatic profile and a foursquare, tight personality. It is highly extracted, concentrated, and powerful, with a masculine character. This muscular wine reveals some heat (alcohol) and a firm, tannic structure (two of my concerns from the barrel sample I originally tasted) yet appears to have enough density of fruit (mostly blackberries) to compensate. As this wine evolves, it may ultimately merit an outstanding score.
Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083.