Coche-Dury is famous for some of Burgundy’s most coveted white wines, yet its rare reds reveal another side of the domaine.

Domaine Coche-Dury Volnay Premier Cru 2018 is a Pinot Noir from Volnay in the Côte de Beaune, combining the generosity of Burgundy’s warm 2018 vintage with floral perfume, mineral tension and a structure built for ageing.

It is one of the domaine’s least frequently encountered wines — a red from a producer whose reputation has been built primarily on Chardonnay.

Coche-Dury beyond white Burgundy

Coche-Dury is best known for Meursault and Corton-Charlemagne, but the domaine also farms a small amount of Pinot Noir.

Producer profiles from iDealwine place the estate at roughly 10 hectares in total, with only about 2.5 hectares devoted to Pinot Noir.

That makes the red wines naturally scarce, and the Volnay Premier Cru provides a rare opportunity to see how the domaine’s precision translates from Chardonnay to Pinot Noir.

From Jean-François to Raphaël Coche

The domaine traces its history to the early twentieth century.

Georges Coche began estate bottling in the 1960s, while Jean-François Coche took over in 1975. His marriage to Odile Dury gave the domaine the Coche-Dury name by which it is known today.

Jean-François’s son Raphaël Coche, who had worked alongside him since 1997, gradually took over the domaine from 2010.

A blend of Taillepieds and Clos des Chênes

According to Allen Meadows of Burghound, the 2018 Volnay Premier Cru is a blend of fruit from Taillepieds and Clos des Chênes, two important Premier Cru vineyards in Volnay.

The two sites bring complementary qualities: Taillepieds is associated with mineral tension and energy, while Clos des Chênes is known for greater structure and depth.

Together they create a Volnay that combines perfume with firmness and a long, serious finish.

2018: a hot, ripe Burgundy vintage

The 2018 growing season in Burgundy was exceptionally warm and dry.

A wet winter and early spring restored water reserves, before heat and drought dominated the summer. Pinot Noir reached high levels of maturity, with harvest beginning in early September across much of the Côte d’Or.

Decanter rates 2018 highly for red Burgundy, noting that the best growers produced rich, ripe reds with enough structure to age well.

Because of the heat, however, vineyard and harvest decisions were crucial in preserving freshness.

Pure red and dark berries, flowers and mineral tension

Burghound awarded the 2018 Coche-Dury Volnay Premier Cru 93 points.

The nose is centred on very pure red and dark berry fruit, layered with spice and a fine floral note.

The palate is medium-bodied but powerful, with clear minerality and a firm, serious finish.

In youth, the wine is notably restrained and slightly austere — a structure that suggests patience rather than immediate softness.

Volnay perfume with Coche-Dury precision

Volnay is often associated with some of the most perfumed and elegant red wines of the Côte de Beaune.

Coche-Dury adds its own sense of purity, concentration and persistence, producing a Volnay that is graceful without becoming delicate or simple.

Because the domaine’s white wines dominate its reputation, this red provides a different perspective on the same underlying philosophy: precise transmission of terroir through carefully controlled winegrowing and élevage.

Domaine Coche-Dury Volnay Premier Cru 2018

France | Burgundy | Côte de Beaune | Volnay Premier Cru | Domaine Coche-Dury | Pinot Noir | Vintage 2018 | Taillepieds & Clos des Chênes | Red wine | 750ml | 12.5% ABV

Ripe 2018 fruit meets Volnay perfume, mineral energy and the precise structure associated with Coche-Dury. A rare Premier Cru red from one of Burgundy’s most celebrated white-wine domaines.

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