A pungent nose of reduction, wood toast and menthol overshadows the underlying fruit today. Otherwise there is a lovely texture to the more muscular if less refined middle weight flavors that also possess solid minerality and density while exhibiting the same touch of finishing dryness that, in the same fashion as the En Caillerets, my score assumes is related to the recent bottling.

(88-90) The 2016 Volnay 1er Cru Clos d'Audignac offers one of the most powerful bouquets among La Pousse d'Or's range of '16s, with showy black cherries, blueberry and light licorice scents, quite rich and extravagant. The palate is brisk and quite taut on the entry and seems to have other ideas. This is more introverted and linear, more black fruit than red with a slightly grainy finish. Moderate length here. Fine, but again, I would like to see more charm develop once in bottle. -Neal Martin