Tasted in Meursault with Pierre & Dominique Lafon, 26 October, 2021.
Domaine des Comtes Lafon
5 Rue Pierre Joigneaux
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 22 17
www.comtes-lafon.fr
More reports with Domaine des Comtes Lafon.
As I was readying this report for publication, Dominique Lafon was theoretically entering his retirement from the domaine – Léa and Pierre Lafon taking up the reigns. Let’s see if he’s still around next year!
Pierre & Dominique on 2020:
“About 25 hl/ha for the reds vs normally something closer to 35 hl/ha. On the other hand, it was a lovely volume for whites – only a bit less than in 2018. ”
The wines…
As you should expect at this address – many great wines in 2020 – and in both colours too!
1.05 hectares – the only vines that gave a normal yield in 2020…
Forward, bright fruit attack – that’s lovely. Fresh, supple, good concentration – energetic, mouthwatering. This is a super start – I always enjoy this wine but more-so this year.
2020 Volnay
Assembly of young vines, principally from Santenots
A Bigger and broader nose – more structural too. Overtly fruity and perfumed. More sophisticated structure and texture. This will be super but I’d be more patient…
Thats a narrow but finely direct and pure nose. Another step forward in beautiful texture, vibrantly great finishing – bravo!
2020 Volnay 1er Champans
Two-thirds of the vines are 100-years-old. All the others had quick malos – this was the laggard in the cellar – only done in July.
Deep colour, with a vibrant but complicated nose – the late malo. More structural, but mouth-watering with energy. Super but be patient!
This is a large 3.5 ha plot. A normal result would be 50 barrels.
A hint of oak here – a more up and down aromatic wine – vertical. Ultra direct, mineral, great texture, but so waves of finishing flavour – complex, saline, very long. Great and certainly for keeping.
Les Whites…
This from Crotots, En la Barre, Baronne and Luraule
Vibrant, open. Easy, quite full over the palate, a little frame of tannin, finishing mouth-watering and long. Wait for the palate but the nose is already great for a villages wine.
The vines here now average about 70 years old.
Gorgeous, more florals to add to the spice. A bit more power, super texture, melting beautifully, super upper-class Meursault! Bravo…
2020 Meursault Desirée
0.5 hectare. Of-course, this would be 1er cru if they bottled with the name Plures, before AOC the area was called Desirée but have used at the domaine since the 1800s but everyone else started to use Plures after AOC – in 1973 the father of Dominique labelled it as a 1er cru but the douane said that vineyard didn’t exist so he had to remove the 1er from the label.
Airy but more density of aroma – complex, a little herb. The characteristic first wave that’s a little saline. Wider, a little more muscular – a great finish – long, penetrating and persistent. So delicious here.
2020 Meursault 1er Bouchères
Only since 2011 here, previously with domaine Manuel, shared with JM Roulot. The first vines to be harvested in 2020, indeed roughly so in most years.
The most perfumed yet. More mouth-filling, cooler fruit, modestly mineral – séducteur says Dom – Yep! Simply excellent. And bursts into more life on the finish…
2020 Meursault 1er Goutte d’Or
A forceful nose, more forward spice in this case. Structural, more for keeping than the previous wines. Strong finishing too, long finishing, persistent and strong.
2020 Meursault 1er Porusots
‘This is the transition between northern and southern 1ers of Meursault’ Later harvesting – ‘but you still have to go very quickly when it’s ready…’
More airy complexity here. Structural but clean and approachable – not hard. Still concentrated and vibrant finishing. This is for keeping a while but its already very approachable for a Poruzots!
Thats a lovely, enveloping complexity – the finest of invitations. Super depth, layers, indeed waves of slow-moving finishing flavour. A caresse – beautiful wine, if currently less demonstrative than some years.
Old vines – 97-years-old.
A more direct purity, less width, less intensity of aroma – but still a beauty. More mouth-filling, rounder but so mouth-watering. Also an airy style here despite the volume. Perfect wine if the nose grows!
2020 Meursault 1er Perrières
A more floral, more precise/pure nose – thats great. Mouth-filling more shape more concentration evident vs the airy Charmes. Slowly fading – this is more direct to start but with similarities the Charmes in the finish.
Wide, beautifully floral complexity – an ultra-smooth nose. Beautiful in the mouth – flowing, modestly mineral, gorgeously textural, a faint suggestion of reduction before the finish – large but not heavy finishing. Another example of how great Montrachet seems to be this year. Such fluidity!