Tasted in Volnay with Frédéric Lafarge, 20 March, 2017.
Domaine Lafarge-Vial
Bel Air
69820 Fleurie
Tel: +33 6 80 66 52 93
contact@lafargevial.com
instagram : domaine_lafarge_vial
twitter : @lafargevial
Frédéric: “The year has started well, though it’s taking a long time to do the pruning and training after last year.”
Frédéric on 2016:
“2016 started well, we saw none of the frost, but then 27 May brought hail in Fleurie Belair and Cercillon. The vines then pushed-on well, but then we were hit by hail again. The vines pushed again but were clearly weak – but just 50 metres away, the vines were absolutely fine – so we lost half of our potential crop. That which remained was lovely.”
Frédéric on 2015:
“2015 was both hot and dry, which resulted in small grapes due to the lack of rain – we tried to hydrate with tizaine. The 27 August was the start of our harvest, with a super combination of sugar and acidity. It’s a complete vintage, and we used some whole-clusters – looking for a good extraction but at the same time favouring balance.”
The wines…
At least from the domaine, all these wines are sold out – I’m hardly surprised – even in the tourist-priced shops of Beaune they cost only €25-30!
A round, fresh and ripe nose. Ooh, in the mouth this has a fine line, and a growing intensity. This is a wine with both charm AND energy.
Persistent and really quite something!
2015 Fleurie
A blend of Cercillon, and Belair
More depth of fresh fruit and faint flowers. Again a super line in the mouth – here with more saline and melting flavours – melting outwards from the line – really mouth-watering. Lots of potential for aging, despite how easy they are to appreciate!
On the hillside near La Madone, 1.20 ha. One part, less steep and worked by horse.
A little more depth of aroma, less width, gorgeously inviting fruit. Wide, growing wider – intense, growing more intense, really a large wave of flavour. Again both mouth-watering and saline – long, long, long… Bravo!
1.3 ha – a mix of granite and quartz below Poncié. Elevage in foudres that previously were used for white wine.
A tighter but still wide nose – some stone fruit – and slowly adding some depth. A wine that starts narrow then grows and grows and grows – lots of little waves of flavour. Beautiful freshness and still an intensity, an insistence, of finishing flavour. Bravo again! – Buy what you can!