Tasted in Volnay with Eleonore & Frédérick Lafarge, 06 December, 2023.
Domaine Michel Lafarge
15 Rue De La Combe
21190 Volnay
Tel: +33 3 80 21 61 61
www.domainelafarge.com
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More reports with Domaine Michel Lafarge
Frederic on 2023:
“2023? We were very happy with this – we had good, grapes and didn’t need to triage too much – we had some volume too – that was despite doing a lot of de-budding. ”
Frederic on 2022:
“2022 was a good volume – so we’re also very happy – it was a roughly similar volume to 2023 too. We started harvesting early – the 26th August. It’s a vintage that we wouldn’t have hoped for such classic wines while we were in the heat of the summer – we are very happy – and such precision and delineation too.”
The wines…
What beautiful wines – structure, energy and clarity – rather classic and for both colours. Well done!
The domaine usually starts their bottling after 18 months – so in the Springtime:
2022 Bourgogne Passetoutgrains l’Exception
‘Over 80 years old, co-planted half pinot, half gamay grapes always maturing at the same time, in the commune of Volnay near Meursault. Grandfather first commercialised this.’
Pretty red fruits with a lively energy – that’s a lovely start. Melting over the palate in delicious style. With fine length and energy
2022 Bourgogne Passetoutgrains Anthologie
Only made in great years – so 22 is considered as such here. TVV from 1928 – the birth year of Michel – only magnums
Hmm, more depth and silk to this nose. Larger scale, more intensity too but it’s a broad intensity. Wide and juicy – very silky in the finish. Just super – great finishing flavour!
4 different parcels at the bottom of the Volnay hill.
Depth and width to this aroma. Extra, and quite juicy, width too. All different, all completely delicious – this is more than villages quality compared to what was generally made 25 years ago! Bravo – large-scale finishing too.
No ‘Selectionée’ this year – all is in here
Directly more fragrant and floral – yes! Darker fruit intertwines with the structure – super depth of flavour here with a creamy accent. First class!
From the 4 parcels below the 1ers
An inviting and floral nose. More direct and intense – but with such purity too – that’s clearly great villages!
What a deliciously ‘extra’ width of aroma, very faintly cushioned. Cool, direct and melting flavour – a little extra minerality is the impression. Lots of great energy for a great Beaune!
2022 Beaune 1er Grèves
These were 100-year-old vines in 2021 – the oldest of the domaine with most of the original vines – ‘We thought the consecutive years of hail might have finished a part so after 2014 vintage we pulled out 25%, replanting in 2017. The rest have recuperated well though.’
A little more depth and a little more muscle too. Here is more structure and wiry muscle. Direct and intense finishing – by comparison, you should have much more patience with this.
2022 Volnay 1er Mitans
Hmm – that’s a broad, vibrant, beautiful complexity of aroma – yes! Much more accessible vs the Greves, not exactly generous but with layers of fine flavour – there’s width to that flavour too – it’s completely delicious and properly intense in the finish.
2022 Volnay 1er Les Pitures
Since 2015 only in magnum,
A calmer, slightly less open nose. The structure is a little more strict and directing. But super floral perfumed in the finish to balance. Yes!
2022 Volnay 1er Caillerets
A little extra width – there’s depth too but slightly less expressive today vs others. Only the old vines in this but the new planatation in spiral will be included from 2023. This has exactly the direction and depth of flavour that I’m looking for – it’s simply a delicious wine – excellently and vibrantly finishing!!
2022 Volnay 1er Clos des Chênes
Another calmer nose but one with a silken depth of fruit. Quite structured but with lots of width and depth to the flavour too. A small grain frames the flavours. The finish again fragrant – what a classic vintage here chez-Lafarge!
A fine width – not so forward but beautiful all the same – adding intensity with air. Cool, broad – a texture of velour but there’s no tannic grain to find here. Juicy and wide – for keeping, that’s clear but almost certainly another great wine.
Beaujolais:
2022 Beaujolais. Here they averaged 35 hl/ha – with juice in the grapes too – starting 22 August. The bottling was done just a week ago:
2022 Chiroubles
A breadth of fresh, perfumed fruit. Direct, nice structure – melting with juicy fruit flavour over the tongue. Broad and completely delicious wine.
2022 Fleurie
Two climats assembled, both on pink granite.
A clearly deeper nose, cushioned – almost silky. Direct but with another cushion of velour – higher-toned fruit. Delicious!
2022 Côte de Brouilly Bruhlié
En fermage in the heart of the appellation near Thivin – a mix of granite and blue-stone with 75-year-old vines.
Deeper, more concentrated fruit in the depth. Larger scale, a small cushion – again with the texture of velour.
2019 Fleurie Joie de Palais
1.2 of their 6 ha. It’s really steep here so it’s a mix of horse and mechanical ploughing for this area.
Very fresh, very pretty red fruit – so inviting. Hmm – nicely mouth-filling volume here – velour texture – but with an intensity too – melting mouth-watering fruit over the palate – that’s damn classy wine !!
1.3 ha, a granite and quartz base. Elevage in a foudre.
A calmer but panoramic width of cushioned aroma. The most incisive, cool fruited of these wines. The width of flavour impresses just like the nose. Extra depth, extra clarity – is the the Caillerets of Fleurie?
Les Whites:
2022 Bourgogne Aligoté Raisin d’Orée
Over 80-year-old vines – 17 September harvest
Direct, lots of energy a steely style to the aromas. Mouth-filling and texturally beautiful – a small grain to this texture. Really deep and long finishing – that will keep your attention!
2022 Meursault
Three parcels between Volnay and the village of Meursault
More airy but very fine – there’s depth and very classy fresh citrus fruit here. Lithe muscle but also fluidity to this wine – I love the shape of it. Not very demonstrative in terms of flavour yet it captivates – It’s a beauty!
2022 Meursault Vendanges Selectionée
Also a nose that’s not fully open but here is extra with some more perfumed width. Supple, melting a tiny generosity but effectively this is a wine that is supported by its minerality – large-scale and superb finishing!
1 barrel vs 6 in 2022
More direct aromas – directing you to drink! Broad, shimmering with minerality – there’s citrus in there but never too overt. Quite mouth-filling at the end. A simply beautiful wine that I can’t decide whether I want (need!) to drink now or wait – it’s a dilemma!