Domaine des Comtes Lafon

Comte Lafon's cellars are deep beneath the ground, believed to be some of the deepest and coolest in Burgundy. Here, Dominique nurtures the golden produce of his 32 acres of land in the Meursault, Montrachet, Monthélie and Volnay appellations. The wines reach levels of quality rarely attained and certainly not surpassed by other growers in Burgundy or, indeed, the world. They are the result of intense arduous work in the vineyard (where strict organic and biodynamic methods are set in place) and Dominique’s expert eye in the cellars. Such is the intensity and concentration of the whites that even the Village Meursault, a blend of young vines from Charmes, young vines from Clos de la Barre and vines from within the Meursault villages appellation, requires a longer than average élévage period in barrel which usually exceeds 20 months.

Lafon 2022s

Pierre Lafon explained that while 2022 was a dry year, their vineyards never lacked water, with plenty of subterranean reserves from the 2021 vintage. As such, the range is imbued with a kind of “gentle freshness”, with moderate alcohol levels and good pHs across the board. In the reds, some of which saw some whole bunch fermentation (normally the domaine destems everything), the level of concentration is lower than in the 2020s – the wines are hugely appealing and full of charm as a result. The whites are probably more immediate than the 2020s were at this stage, charming, never heavy, and often with a sense of building momentum that sees them grow and expand on the palate. Unsurprisingly, there’s a lot to look forward to here.