Volnay Premier Cru Les Taillepieds

Pierre-Vincent Girardin established his domaine in 2016 — at roughly 19 years old, 13th generation of a Burgundian winemaking family — and immediately broke from the extraction-forward conventions of his appellation. Les Taillepieds, one of Volnay's most prized premier cru lieux-dits, sits on the mid-slope at approximately 260 m elevation on east-to-south-facing Jurassic marls and marly limestones: thin, cool soils that suppress vigour and concentrate aromatic precision in Pinot Noir rather than weight. From the 2021 vintage onward, Girardin committed to 100% whole-cluster vinification across his reds — a deliberate structural choice that adds spinal tension and savouriness without sacrificing the silkiness he prizes over extraction. Fermentation is low-interventionist: little to no pigeage, cold cellar temperatures maintained throughout, and indigenous yeasts only. Aging runs 12 months in 228-litre barrels at low new-oak percentage, followed by 3 months in tank before bottling unfined and unfiltered on a lunar calendar. The special feature here is the combination of whole-cluster inclusion with a near-zero-intervention cellar philosophy — most Volnay producers choose one or the other, not both. The 2022 Burgundy vintage delivered generous fruit ripeness tempered by a cooler August, a profile that suits Girardin's transparency-first approach; drink from 2026 through 2034.