Domaine Marquis d'Angerville: The Nobility of Precision in Volnay
“Volnay is one of the best choices for those who want to discover Burgundy — for its consistency, contained dimension and exceptionally homogeneous soils.”
— Matt Kramer
“Pure and precise, elegant and pristine.” – Rajat Parr
Volnay is a low-key place. Nestled between gentle hills south of Beaune, it’s home to wines that whisper in your ear rather than scream at you. And no name better represents this quiet elegance than Domaine Marquis d’Angerville.
More than two centuries in Volnay
Clos des Ducs, the Domaine’s monopole, has been in the same family for over 200 years. The property dates back to the 12th century, once owned by the Dukes of Burgundy themselves. A royal survey from 1507 already mentioned legendary names such as Champans, Taillepieds, and Fremiet — icons of terroir still today.
In 1804, Baron du Mesnil acquired Clos des Ducs and the surrounding lands. Since then, six generations of the d’Angerville family have cultivated this extraordinary heritage with rigour, discretion, and deep faith in the soils of Volnay. The current heir to this mission is Guillaume d’Angerville, who took over after the death of his father, Jacques, in 2003.
The Quiet Revolution: From Authenticity to Biodynamics
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It was Jacques — a major figure in 20th-century Burgundy — who solidified the Domaine’s reputation and passionately defended estate-bottled wines, a bold stance in an era dominated by négoce. This placed him alongside visionaries like Henri Gouges and Armand Rousseau in upholding authenticity, appellation integrity, and respect for origin.
Guillaume brought this philosophy into the 21st century, starting the conversion to biodynamics in 2006, inspired by Anne-Claude Leflaive (Domaine Leflaive).
Today, under the technical guidance of François Duvivier and a team that tends each vine as a living organism, the Domaine works entirely biodynamically — with horse-ploughed soils, natural preparations, and gentle, non-interventionist vinification that respects the rhythms of nature and the vineyard.
As consultant Pierre Masson used to say: “In biodynamics, the central element is the human being.”
The great 1er Crus imported by Temple Wines
Temple Wines imports, in minuscule and precious quantities, three of the Domaine d’Angerville’s most sought-after wines. They are cult wines, often spoken of more than tasted, but their depth rewards those fortunate enough to know them.
Here, a photo we took showing the varied soil profiles of Volnay.e
Volnay 1er Cru Champagnes
The most generous of the three premier crus, with a history dating back to 1252. The Domaine owns 3.98 hectares of the total 11.19 ha of Champans. It offers a perfect synthesis of elegance and structure — the archetype of Volnay, according to Guillaume d’Angerville. Located at the heart of Volnay’s 1er Crus, its vines benefit from diverse soils — stony limestone at the top, rich clay at the base. The bedrock is Oxfordian limestone, with marl higher up and silt lower down.
Rajat Parr affectionately describes it::
“Champans, with more ferrous, brown soils, makes a rounder, stouter wine that's always chewy and satisfying.”
And Jasper Morris MW corroborates:
"It is the quintessence of Volnay, with several excellent fonts to choose from, including Marquis d'Angerville, Comtes Lafon and de Montille."Jancis Robinson:
"Platonic ideal of 'red burgundy'."
18/20 – Jancis Robinson
"Bright ruby color, medium to dense intensity. A light touch of mushrooms on the nose. On the palate, there is plenty of substance — a glorious fruit that almost makes us forget the firm structure that lies behind. An expressive and spicy wine that is remarkably close to Platonic ideal of a great red Burgundy. Quite intoxicating! But with a well-defined skeleton. Fuller-bodied and meatier than Taille Pieds. And with a never-ending finish! (JR)"
Volnay 1er Cru Fremiet
The Domaine owns 1.57 ha here, below Clos des Ducs and mid-slope. The soil is shallow, marly, with excellent drainage and Oxfordian limestone bedrock. Though it borders Pommard, it retains Volnay’s purity — fine, structured, delicate. Fruit and minerality, with velvety elegance and subtlety that grows with time.
17.5/20 – Jancis Robinson
"Pale ruby. Slightly salty and serious nose, which gives way to a robust and substantial palate. A wine with structure and the promise of longevity.
Juicy and very long, but at the same time transparent, faithful to the classic Volnay profile. The finish is markedly dry, although the enveloping fruit elegantly disguises the tannins. (JR)"
Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds
One of Volnay’s highest terroirs. With white, stony soil — its name “Taillepieds” (“cut-feet”) refers to the tough terrain that once wore out the workers’ boots. An austere, serious wine in its youth, it blossoms fully over time, revealing Volnay’s purest essence.
“Taillepieds, with its white marl, makes for a more austere, reserved wine that blossoms with age.”
— Rajat Parr
18/20 – Jancis Robinson
"Clear and bright ruby. Charming and seductive nose, already with a welcoming and harmonious sensation. On the palate, the fruit appears broad and evolved — but soon the tannins appear with firmness and structure. It's a wine that can be enjoyed now... but perhaps not yet. A vibrant and reverberating finish that echoes and bounces on the palate like a billiard ball. It's difficult to predict an exact window for consumption, assuming that the wine doesn't enter a closing phase...(JR)"
Winemaking Philosophy: The Voice of the Earth by gentle extraction
At Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, harvesting is done exclusively by hand, with harvest dates chosen with extreme precision, based on optimal ripeness of berries, seeds, and tannins. It’s one of the Domaine’s most critical decisions each year: harvesting too early risks losing balance and depth; too late can lead to overly heavy wines with less freshness.
For this reason, the team tastes grapes regularly in the weeks before harvest, collecting samples for analysis in collaboration with Burgundia Œnologie.
Grapes are picked into small boxes and undergo rigorous sorting. In the cellar, they are fully destemmed and placed in tanks without crushing — to preserve fruit integrity. Fermentation begins with native yeasts, following a brief cold pre-fermentation maceration. This traditional, non-interventionist approach allows the wine to express the unique character of each terroir and vintage with purity.
Cuvaison lasts 15 to 18 days, with a gradual, controlled temperature rise — never exceeding 30–32°C at the end of fermentation. Extraction techniques remain gentle and natural, drawing out only the finest tannins, enhancing colour, texture, and elegance with great stability.
After fermentation, pressing is carried out with extreme delicacy, and the wine is transferred by gravity to French oak barrels directly below the winemaking room — reflecting absolute respect for the wine’s integrity and natural path.
Only 20% new oak is used — to let the terroir speak (15% in 2022, split between Taransaud and Damy). Wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Everything is designed to ensure that the wine remains a faithful reflection of the soil, the vine, and the year.
As Guillaume says — the Domaine’s mission is to disappear behind the wine. And it succeeds.
A living legacy
Domaine Marquis d’Angerville today remains one of Burgundy’s absolute benchmarks. Not only for its sublime wines — but for its integrity and faithfulness to the land. These are wines to cellar, to open with reverence, to share with those who understand the magic of great Pinot Noir.
At Temple Wines, we are proud to be the Portuguese guardian of one of the greatest legacies in the wine world.
Explore this singular expression of Burgundy.
Extremely limited quantities of d’Angerville wines are available at our shop.
Buy now at Temple Wines online: https://templewines.eu/
