2019 Meursault Village

In recent years, Domaine des Comtes Lafon has been in transition, as Dominique Lafon hands the reins to daughter, Léa, and nephew, Pierre Lafon. The latter greeted me in Meursault. Dominique has his own project in his name, working out of the shared facility in Bligny-lès-Beaune, that unfortunately I did not have time to taste this year. This comprehensive tasting included their Mâconnais wines. Readers should note that I made a short video with Pierre Lafon that can be found in the Media section circa this report’s publication.

We began with the reds that, similar to other producers’, eschew the use of whole bunches in this season. Also, following conversations with Dominique, the wines underwent a little more racking, the next due a little earlier than usual in November rather than December (this may entail earlier bottling, though no decision has been made). The Mâcon wines were picked from September 1, then the Côte de Beaune whites began in Montrachet on September 4. The reds were hot on their heels two days later. The Mâcon wines were bottled in June/July 2024 except for the Clos des Fours, bottled just prior to picking.

In 2023, I am smitten by the red Volnays that exude purity and finesse. These wines seem light on their feet yet deliver wonderful intensity and seductive silky textures. In particular, Les Champans delivers everything you could wish for. The whites center on Meursault, of course. The Les Perrières and Genevrières are the two predictable standouts. There are the usual seven barrels of Montrachet, the epitome of intensity and finesse, and one of the best that I have tasted at this prenatal stage. Judging by the quality of these latest wines, it looks like one of Meursault’s most prominent producers lies in safe hands.

Arguably the most prominent Meursault producer, it was big news when Dominique Lafon retired and handed the running to his daughter Léa and nephew Pierre Lafon, the former having taken maternity leave after giving birth to her two children. Of course, Dominique Lafon remains a presence at the winery. They taste together every other week, though in the past, on more than one occasion, Lafon has emphasized how they make the calls. Dominique did drop in during my visit, as I was sure and hoped he would, though it was Pierre Lafon who took me through the wines that included their Mâconnais range. “The 2022 is our last vintage with Caroline Gon [who is not devoted to her and her husband’s domaine, Frantz-Chagnolou]. There was a transition period between her and our new winemaker, Elsie Moore, who has now taken over.” As well as the Mâconnais wines, we tasted through their complete portfolio of reds and whites. “The reds were racked after the harvest at the end of September. They were picked from August 29 and finished on September 4. The alcohol levels are around 13.5%, with a pH around 3.50. We have a new de-stemmer, so we have some whole bunches, around 50% for some cuvées. The whites will be bottled as early as January next year.”

Although Comtes Lafon is renowned for its Meursaults, readers should note that their reds can be outstanding. I was intrigued to taste their Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu, which includes stems (50%), for the first time, a move that enhances this cuvée. It’s not their new recipe, and readers should be advised that the 2023 contains nary a stem. But I feel that their Volnays would benefit from their addition. Beady-eyed readers will also spot a couple of maiden vintages from new fermage agreements: a Puligny Village and Puligny Les Charmes, the latter very promising. Amongst the Meursaults, I usually find that the Les Perrières rules the roost, but in 2022, its position is usurped by a fabulous Les Charmes, a Premier Cru that seemed to revel in the growing season, closely followed by a superb Genevrières. Predictably, the Montrachet is stunning, aged half in new oak in its first year, then used oak for the remaining nine months. It is, as I write in my one-word summation, majestic.

“My uncle has retired,” Dominique Lafon’s nephew Pierre tells me before we start tasting, to which I rejoinder. “What kind of retirement? There’s retiring, and there’s retiring.” As I expected, Dominique Lafon is not bronzing on a sun lounger in the Costa del Sol and soon holds court down in the cellar. We even nip over to the crush facility in Bligny to taste his négociant wine under his name, which has always remained in the shadow of Domaine des Comte Lafon. He’ll devote more time to this side project as he keeps a respectful distance and gives Pierre and his daughter Léa the space to put their stamp on one of the most famous estates in the Côte d’Or, dropping in once every couple of weeks. (Readers can find reviews of those 2021s under “Dominique Lafon” in this report.)

Back to the Domaine, Lafon tells me that 2021 was the most challenging vintage he had ever seen. But Pierre gives me the lowdown… “It was a complicated growing season with the frost, when we lost two-thirds of the crop, mostly in the Premier Crus on the slopes like Les Perrières and Genevrières. We didn’t prune late, like in 2022. It’s something we are looking at. Afterward, it was rainy with a cooler summer. There were few sunny days, and the ground was always wet, so we could not go out in the tractor to spray. But the grapes were in pretty good condition, and we only had one parcel of Meursault to sort at harvest. We picked between 17 and 27 September. We were lucky because we only had one day of rain.” Léa Lafon tells me: “We thought conditions would be awful, but they weren’t bad at all. Altogether, we were worn out by the year. When you pick in August, everything is so fast, but in September, things go more slowly as there is less sun, so waiting a day doesn’t make much difference. Most of the whites and Volnay were picked before the rain. The fermentation went very smoothly, and there wasn’t so much work in the cellar as the volume was so small. The malo took some time as the cellar was quite cold, some cuvées finishing in February or March. We used no new barrels in 2021, the same as in 2016, and just used one-year-old barrels. When you have a small volume in small tanks, you can get a bit of oxidation, so we might bottle a bit earlier.”

These are impressive wines, crowned by a superlative Meursault Les Perrières that dares to outshine the Montrachet, though as Dominique Lafon mentions, they could switch the following week. Quantities are severely depleted - good luck trying to find the measly 450-odd bottles of Genevrières, yet terroirs shine through, just one or two cuvées missing their usual elan. There is no Volnay Village this year, though the Premier Crus are well worth seeking out and are surfeit with crunchy red berry fruit.

Dominique Lafon was in typically irrepressible form when I dropped in at his winery in Meursault. His son, Pierre, took me through the reds first. “The reds are racked but not sulfured,” he told me. “They are very elegant in style with between 13.5° and 13.8° alcohol, and they will be bottled in late spring, as I think they can take a slightly longer aging.” We then moved into the adjacent cellar, where I tasted his 2020 Mâcon wines, which I have moved to my small Mâconnais report, before broaching his Meursaults. I asked Lafon how he compared the 2019 and 2020 vintages. “The 2019s are slightly rounder and more appealing,” he told me. “The tartaric backbone of the 2020s gives them great energy. The 2019s remind me of old-time ripe vintages, maybe like the 1992.” [At this juncture, I asked to what vintage he would compare 2020, but he was stumped for an answer!] Lafon continued, “I think the 2020s are fresher than the 2018s. You feel more heat on the 2018s. Picking started on August 20 with the Bouchères and Perrières, and then we picked the reds, which were harvested very quickly.” Readers should also note that the 2020 Montrachet is the first vintage not completely vinified in new oak; around one-third was new this year, and there will be no new oak in 2021. The 2020s are excellent in quality, quite expressive and intense, full of Meursault DNA. Whereas I normally put the Meursault-Perrières on top, I feel that the earlier growing season did not benefit this Premier Cru as much, and instead the Meursault-Charmes is my pick of the bunch, with Genevrières hot on its tail and Bouchères the “hidden gem,” not that those exist given the status of Comtes-Lafon. Since 2014, all Lafon’s wines have been bottled under Diam 30 closures.

Try to imagine Meursault without Dominique Lafon? Difficult, isn’t it? I hope that day does not pass for a long time, though this year’s visit marked the beginning of a new chapter as Lafon was flanked by his nephew Pierre, who has returned from working for a Chicago distributor to commence the real learning at the domaine, alongside Lafon’s daughter Léa. Discussing the future, he told me that they had not really decided how responsibilities would be split and the plan is for them to spend the first years working jointly in all areas of running the winery and let the division come naturally. Dominique Lafon was in typically irrepressible form, loquacious and candid as ever, with the odd sprinkling of expletives. I had no pressing appointment afterwards, enabling me to spend over three hours tasting through the 2018 and 2019 vintages, plus his most recent Mâconnais wines from 2019 and a random older bottle that I parsed away for a Cellar Favourite.

Back to the main topic – the 2018 and 2019 vintages. “It was an early bud break,” Lafon explained. “Or is that the normal now? There was an early flowering that was not that good and led to the shortfall in crop. It was not caused by the rain. Maybe it was too warm? There was not much disease pressure during the warm and dry summer, so it was easy in that respect. We started harvesting on 5 September and at that time it was warm and that makes it hard for the pickers. The end of the ripening happened very fast. There was more than 1% additional potential alcohol in four days in some places. It was go, go, go. We had to move. The challenge was to organize the cellar to handle the incoming fruit, though the short crop helped. We picked fast just as we have just done in 2020, where there was a big crop. We finished picking around 14 September, whilst the Mâconnais wines took around a fortnight to pick. The fermentation in Mâconnais was difficult because the sugars were slow to finish whereas it was much smoother in Meursault. The 2019s in both Mâconnais and Meursault have more alcohol than in 2018, between 13.5° and 13.8° though nothing over 14.0°. It was not as hot as in 2018 but it was shortness of the crop that led to the concentration. The acidity levels are normal with pH around 3.2 to 3.5. The average yield in the Mâconnais was 40-45hl/ha compared to 60hl/ha in 2018, whilst in Meursault it was around 40hl/ha, though 25-30hl/ha for the reds. The 2019 reds are racked but not sulphured, the 2018 reds were bottled in late spring as I thought they could take a slightly longer ageing.”

This was an excellent set of wines from Dominique Lafon, who I would aver is currently making the best wines of a long career. The 2018 and 2019 vintages are closely matched in quality and arguing one set is superior is not easy, not least because one is comparing unfinished and finished wines. One thing I did take away was the quality of Lafon’s Meursault Porusots that shines in both vintages. We also discussed the reds at length. My palate errs towards the Champans and Clos des Chêne that tend to be more classically styled, whilst perhaps the more celebrated Santenots-du-Milieu is higher-toned with darker fruit and more obvious floral aromatics. I absolutely adored the Volnay 2019s that seemed to combine elegance and power to great effect. Among the range of Meursault Premier Crus, the Les Perrières is regal, the Les Charmes taking silver medal. Perhaps most interesting and an augury of things to come is the 2019 Montrachet, the last vintage to be matured in new oak for its entire élevage, the 2020 was racked into 50% new and 50% used oak. It will be fascinating to see the results and whether it will be continued. At the other end of the spectrum, I tasted nearly all of the Mâconnais wines under Les Hériters des Comtes Lafon and these represent outstanding value. Lafon remarked that even though they are higher in alcohol, they feel fresher. I plan a more in-depth report on the region in 2021 but since these wines are entering the market and tend to be consumed young, I include them here.

Dominique Lafon was a little tardy for our 2pm rendezvous. When he finally materialized he told me that he had been at the police station as his car had been stolen at lunchtime. I presume that the robbers were hoping there were a few bottles of Montrachet on the back seat. Once he had gathered himself, we set upon a fairly comprehensive tasting that included his Mâconnais, bottled at the end of July and end of August, as small compensation for being unable to cover the region this year, with several bottled 2017s. "The 2017 Volnays were bottled in early Spring but they were naturally clear. I do not like the effect of filtration and so none of them were filtered. The 2018 reds were cropped at 35-45hl/ha. I used 3gm/L of SO2 before Christmas and kept the wines at 23gm/L over the summer, adding 1gm before summer. The wines have not been racked, which is what we usually do if there is no reduction. The 2018 whites were harvested from 24 August."

Following the tiny crop of 2016, Dominique Lafon finally has some wine in ’17, including five barrels of Montrachet. In fact, he thought the full crop load turned out to be a positive thing in ’17, as the grapes “didn’t change as fast or get as high in alcohol” as they otherwise might have in the very warm August conditions. “There’s nothing green about the ripeness in 2017,” he said, “but the wines are not overripe either.” Like a number of his colleagues in Meursault, he started harvesting early (August 28), with potential alcohol levels mostly between 12.5% and 13%, and he described his post-malo wines as a bit lower in acidity than his ‘16s and ‘15s. At the beginning of June, Lafon’s ‘17s displayed terrific richness as well as the elegance of the vintage’s finer examples.

Production at this top estate was cut dramatically by frost in 2016. To cite just two extreme examples, Dominique Lafon made 5 barrels of village Meursault, vs. a normal 50, and 8 barrels of Clos de la Barre, compared to a normal 55. He also produced just a single barrel of Meursault Désirée from his half a hectare of vines, which according to my calculations is the equivalent of 4.5 hectoliters per hectare. And yet Lafon told me that he doesn’t find obvious differences between his frosted and non-frosted wine in ’16. “There were contre-bourgeons in 2016, only the first set of buds,” he explained. “If our first set of buds survived, that’s what we made the wine from.” Due to the tiny crop, Lafon purchased no new barrels in 2016, and last year he described these wines as “charming and pleasant,” comparing them to the 2000s.

Dominique Lafon made just one-third of a normal white wine crop in 2016 and for that reason purchased no new oak barrels for these wines. He views 2016 as "charming and pleasant--a classic seductive vintage with a lightness, but not as serious as 2015." Although the pHs are a bit higher in 2016 than in the previous year, Lafon noted that it's too early to say whether the 2016s are more fragile wines. "They have less acidity but also less body; they have a different balance but an attractive balance. They remind me of the 2000s in their charm. They have nothing in excess." The '16s finished their malos early and had been sulfited by the time of my visit, and Lafon was considering racking some of them into tanks rather than back into barrels.

Lafon had only started bottling his 2015s the week before my visit, so I have provided a second set of notes on a number of these wines (the ‘15s had been moved into tanks in January, on their fine lees). Lafon told me that the ‘15s had become leaner in a positive way with aging, as fining has brought greater precision, and were now sharper in their fruit profile than they were a year ago. He thinks they will be strong agers—“but not the wines picked at 14.5%.” He noted that the 2003 vintage was very hot and early but that the wines are aging very well. To make his point, he opened a bottle of the ’03 Charmes, which was still a pale yellow-gold and had not changed much in color over the past ten years. It’s a hugely ripe, round, winter style of wine with a classic Meursault oatmeal element (Lafon suggested pairing it with chicken in a wine and cream sauce) and incredible depth of texture. Its slight warmth was buffered by its strong impression of sweetness and the wine was still remarkably fresh. I rated it 93 points.

Dominique Lafon made just one-third of a normal white wine crop in 2016 and for that reason purchased no new oak barrels for these wines. He views 2016 as "charming and pleasant--a classic seductive vintage with a lightness, but not as serious as 2015." Although the pHs are a bit higher in 2016 than in the previous year, Lafon noted that it's too early to say whether the 2016s are more fragile wines. "They have less acidity but also less body; they have a different balance but an attractive balance. They remind me of the 2000s in their charm. They have nothing in excess." The '16s finished their malos early and had been sulfited by the time of my visit, and Lafon was considering racking some of them into tanks rather than back into barrels.

Lafon had only started bottling his 2015s the week before my visit, so I have provided a second set of notes on a number of these wines (the ‘15s had been moved into tanks in January, on their fine lees). Lafon told me that the ‘15s had become leaner in a positive way with aging, as fining has brought greater precision, and were now sharper in their fruit profile than they were a year ago. He thinks they will be strong agers—“but not the wines picked at 14.5%.” He noted that the 2003 vintage was very hot and early but that the wines are aging very well. To make his point, he opened a bottle of the ’03 Charmes, which was still a pale yellow-gold and had not changed much in color over the past ten years. It’s a hugely ripe, round, winter style of wine with a classic Meursault oatmeal element (Lafon suggested pairing it with chicken in a wine and cream sauce) and incredible depth of texture. Its slight warmth was buffered by its strong impression of sweetness and the wine was still remarkably fresh. I rated it 93 points.

Dominique Lafon considers 2015 to be a great vintage for Burgundy’s red wines “and nice and appealing for the whites. They will never have the refinement of the ‘14s but they’re not heavy.” The Chardonnay grapes were very ripe but none of his parcels was over 13.5%, as Lafon started harvesting on August 28. Acidity levels were healthy, he added. Some of the 2015s finished their malolactic fermentations earlier than usual and were sulfited last November, but Lafon had a few of his ‘15s in stainless steel tanks at the beginning of June to get the malos to finish.

Like many of his colleagues on the Côte de Beaune, Lafon has taken a variety of measures in recent years to prevent premature oxidation of his wines. He is seeking to bottle "more backward" wines by working more reductively, racking his wines into stainless steel tanks earlier, rather than simply transferring them to another set of barrels. He's also racking without exposure to air and keeping more CO2 in the wines. His overall objective is "to control the amount of dissolved oxygen in the wines at every step," he told me, adding that his wines now go into bottle with just one part per million. High levels of dissolved oxygen at the time of bottling can quickly absorb free sulfur and leave the wines vulnerable to oxidation. Incidentally, Lafon has been using all DIAM corks since 2013, having recently adopted the new, extra-thick and long DIAM 30s for his top bottlings.

Dominique Lafon was in the middle of bottling his 2014 whites when I stopped by to taste on the last day of May. He had racked the wines into tanks in January, a bit earlier than previously, and several of them were still awaiting bottling. These are very concentrated, pure wines from vines picked early, and they have the sappiness and grip to reward aging.

Dominique Lafon had not yet bottled his 2013s at the end of May as the malolactic fermentations were unusually long, but most of the wines had been resting in tank since January or February. Lafon believes the village wines are good and that "some premier crus are tremendous. They have sound acidity and show good tightness today. And they're more refined than the village wines." As of 2013, Lafon has gone entirely to DIAM corks.

Lafon was an early harvester in 2014, starting on September 10. Potential alcohol levels ranged between 12.5% and 13% but crop levels were off dramatically in most of his Meursault parcels. With low yields, though, came an extra measure of concentration.

Dominique Lafon had not yet bottled his 2013s at the end of May as the malolactic fermentations were unusually long, but most of the wines had been resting in tank since January or February. Lafon believes the village wines are good and that "some premier crus are tremendous. They have sound acidity and show good tightness today. And they're more refined than the village wines." As of 2013, Lafon has gone entirely to DIAM corks.

Lafon was an early harvester in 2014, starting on September 10. Potential alcohol levels ranged between 12.5% and 13% but crop levels were off dramatically in most of his Meursault parcels. With low yields, though, came an extra measure of concentration.

Like many of his colleagues on the Cote de Beaune, Dominique Lafon has experienced two lean years with 2013 and 2012, producing 22 hectoliters per hectare in '13 and between 15 and 25 for chardonnay in '12. He told me that the 2013 premier crus convey a feeling of acidity and that they remind him of his "crystal-clear" 2010s. The 2012s, in comparison, are more minerally wines, "dense and balanced." Lafon pointed out that the 2012s gained from fining: "they were rocks before that." Incidentally, among the steps Lafon has taken in recent years to avoid premature oxidation of his wines, he now allows 10% of the juice in the press to brown. He then racks it clear, sulfurs it and adds it to the tank. I have provided a new set of single-score notes for the 2012s, but please note that some of these wines were still in tank, awaiting bottling the week after my visit. (Classic Wine Imports, www.classicwineimports.com; also a Daniel Johnnes selection, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, www.skurnikwines.com)

Like many of his colleagues on the Cote de Beaune, Dominique Lafon has experienced two lean years with 2013 and 2012, producing 22 hectoliters per hectare in '13 and between 15 and 25 for chardonnay in '12. He told me that the 2013 premier crus convey a feeling of acidity and that they remind him of his "crystal-clear" 2010s.The 2012s, in comparison, are more minerally wines, "dense and balanced."Lafon pointed out that the 2012s gained from fining:"they were rocks before that."Incidentally, among the steps Lafon has taken in recent years to avoid premature oxidation of his wines, he now allows 10% of the juice in the press to brown.He then racks it clear, sulfurs it and adds it to the tank. I have provided a new set of single-score notes for the 2012s, but please note that some of these wines were still in tank, awaiting bottling the week after my visit. (Classic Wine Imports, www.classicwineimports.com; also a Daniel Johnnes selection, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, www.skurnikwines.com)

Dominique Lafon, who told me he considers 2010 to be "the perfect vintage for white wines," has a very concentrated set of 2012s in barrel, with crop levels down considerably from the norm.The last of the three hail storms hit the hillside vineyards of Meursault, said Lafon.He noted that acidity levels in the 2012s were typically 4.3 to 4.4 grams per liter, adding that "you feel more acidity in the 2011s because the wines have less body."A couple of his 2012s had not finished their malolactic fermentations when I visited at the end of May.The 2011s had been bottled between a couple days and a month before my tasting at the estate.Lafon told me about "a new little trick" he used with the 2011s to protect the wines against premature oxidation.He injected some CO2 in the process of moving the wines from the barrel to the tank in order to replace the CO2 that would otherwise have been lost during the pumping process.(Classic Wine Imports, www.classicwineimports.com; also a Daniel Johnnes selection, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, www.skurnikwines.com)

Dominique Lafon, who told me he considers 2010 to be "the perfect vintage for white wines," has a very concentrated set of 2012s in barrel, with crop levels down considerably from the norm.The last of the three hail storms hit the hillside vineyards of Meursault, said Lafon.He noted that acidity levels in the 2012s were typically 4.3 to 4.4 grams per liter, adding that "you feel more acidity in the 2011s because the wines have less body."A couple of his 2012s had not finished their malolactic fermentations when I visited at the end of May.The 2011s had been bottled between a couple days and a month before my tasting at the estate.Lafon told me about "a new little trick" he used with the 2011s to protect the wines against premature oxidation.He injected some CO2 in the process of moving the wines from the barrel to the tank in order to replace the CO2 that would otherwise have been lost during the pumping process.(Classic Wine Imports, www.classicwineimports.com; also a Daniel Johnnes selection, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, www.skurnikwines.com)

Comtes Lafon fans will be thrilled to see two new 1er Crus in the range, Bouchères and Poruzots, both leased plots the Domaine has acquired access to in the Domaine Rene Manuel transaction. Dominique Lafon describes 2011 as a vintage with normal yields, which is to say 40-50hl for the whites. Overall sugars and acidities are both down from 2010, which makes the wines virtually impossible to resist young as they are so impeccably balanced and harmonious. Lafon prefers longer elevage in barrel than many of his colleagues, which means the whites might spend as long as 20 months in barrel prior to being bottled.

Dominique Lafon described 2011 as a year of more heterogenous quality than 2010, although he noted that the harvest did not bring "an enormous crop."As to 2010, Lafon says that the wines have "exploded in tank and gained in refinement.They're built like the 2008s, which are bigger and weightier but not as elegant.The 2010s are better balanced:their weight and acidity are integrated better."Some of the 2010s had been bottled just days before my visit, but their high quality was plain to see. (Classic Wine Imports, www.classicwineimports.com; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection, www.danieljohnneswines.com; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, www.skurnikwines.com)

Dominique Lafon described 2011 as a year of more heterogenous quality than 2010, although he noted that the harvest did not bring "an enormous crop." As to 2010, Lafon says that the wines have "exploded in tank and gained in refinement. They're built like the 2008s, which are bigger and weightier but not as elegant. The 2010s are better balanced: their weight and acidity are integrated better." Some of the 2010s had been bottled just days before my visit, but their high quality was plain to see. (Classic Wine Imports, www.classicwineimports.com; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection, www.danieljohnneswines.com; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, www.skurnikwines.com)

Comtes Lafon's 2010 whites are just as impressive from bottle as they were in barrel. Dominique Lafon told me the wines changed quite a bit and found their precision during fining. The 2010s at Comtes Lafon are tight and powerful, with plenty of underlying fruit and depth. The 2010s were bottled between March and early June 2012.

Dominique Lafon counts 2009 among his favorite white wine vintages, and he considers these wines to be better than the reds from the same year. In contract, in 2010 he prefers the reds to the whites. Lafon believes the short crop in 2010 allowed the wines to retain more elegance than the 2008s. In fact, he also told me that he prefers his 2007 whites to his 2008s "for purity." Like a number of his colleagues, Lafon has been making more use of fining in recent years. "Casein takes out some of the oxidized phenolics," he told me, admitting that his wines from the period in which he did less fining (1996 through 2002) may not be aging as well. (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Dominique Lafon counts 2009 among his favorite white wine vintages, and he considers these wines to be better than the reds from the same year. In contract, in 2010 he prefers the reds to the whites. Lafon believes the short crop in 2010 allowed the wines to retain more elegance than the 2008s. In fact, he also told me that he prefers his 2007 whites to his 2008s "for purity." Like a number of his colleagues, Lafon has been making more use of fining in recent years. "Casein takes out some of the oxidized phenolics," he told me, admitting that his wines from the period in which he did less fining (1996 through 2002) may not be aging as well. (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Dominique Lafon's 2009s are just as stunning from bottle as they were when I tasted them in cask earlier this year. Lafon is one of the most thoughtful growers in Burgundy. Along with a group of his colleagues, Lafon is among the producers who has basically re-examined every aspect of the way he makes wine in response to the problem of premature oxidation. Today's wines spend more time on their lees, but that is just one of many changes that have taken place here over the least few years. Except as noted, I tasted the 2009s from bottle. The 2009 Charmes, Perrières and Montrachet were bottled in May, 2011. I also tasted all of the 2010s from barrel. The Meursault, Clos de la Barre and Goutte d'Or weren't showing well, while the Meursault premier crus and the Montrachet were all sublime.

Dominique Lafon was one of several producers who had me taste 2008s before 2009s, even if a few wines from the earlier vintage had not yet been bottled. He describes the 2008s as "weightier than the 2007s but with similar acid lift. The wines have fleshy middles but share the citrus and mineral finishes of the 2007s." Since 2006 Lafon has been working with more of the lees (he now brings seven or eight liters of lees into the barrels for aging) and he believes this helps his wines ferment to dryness, results in a bit more reduction, and plays a role in preventing oxidation. Lafon started harvesting on September 7 in 2009, pointing out that there had been some rainfall three days before that. He believes that 2009 is a great year for whites and very good for reds: "Like most of our neighbors, we picked chardonnay first and then pinot. This was good for chardonnay but not so good for pinot." Nowadays Lafon avoids stirring the lees, except when the wines are getting too reduced. On the subject of evolution of his wines, Lafon admitted to me that due to the big crop in 1999, he had a shortage of barrels, and therefore got rid of more of the bourbes simply for space reasons. This raised the odds of premature oxidation in these wines. The 2000s here, in contrast, are generally in fine form, with little sign of premox. I tasted a bottle of 2002 Charmes with Lafon. It showed a distinct baked bread and toffee character but also was slightly reduced. It was clearly in an awkward phase: tasters predisposed toward finding premature oxidation might have tossed this one but I would have liked the chance to follow it. It certainly spread out to saturate the palate. And a bottle of the 1994 Charmes was drinking perfectly but was in no danger of going over the hill anytime soon.(Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Dominique Lafon was one of several producers who had me taste 2008s before 2009s, even if a few wines from the earlier vintage had not yet been bottled. He describes the 2008s as "weightier than the 2007s but with similar acid lift. The wines have fleshy middles but share the citrus and mineral finishes of the 2007s." Since 2006 Lafon has been working with more of the lees (he now brings seven or eight liters of lees into the barrels for aging) and he believes this helps his wines ferment to dryness, results in a bit more reduction, and plays a role in preventing oxidation. Lafon started harvesting on September 7 in 2009, pointing out that there had been some rainfall three days before that. He believes that 2009 is a great year for whites and very good for reds: "Like most of our neighbors, we picked chardonnay first and then pinot. This was good for chardonnay but not so good for pinot." Nowadays Lafon avoids stirring the lees, except when the wines are getting too reduced. On the subject of evolution of his wines, Lafon admitted to me that due to the big crop in 1999, he had a shortage of barrels, and therefore got rid of more of the bourbes simply for space reasons. This raised the odds of premature oxidation in these wines. The 2000s here, in contrast, are generally in fine form, with little sign of premox. I tasted a bottle of 2002 Charmes with Lafon. It showed a distinct baked bread and toffee character but also was slightly reduced. It was clearly in an awkward phase: tasters predisposed toward finding premature oxidation might have tossed this one but I would have liked the chance to follow it. It certainly spread out to saturate the palate. And a bottle of the 1994 Charmes was drinking perfectly but was in no danger of going over the hill anytime soon.(Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Dominique Lafon was taking a wait-and-see attitude on the 2008s as of the end of May. "It was a very small crop and the wines are almost too concentrated," he told me, adding "I never like my wines before the malos. And in 2008 in particular, the acidity and the sugar were struggling with each other in the early going." Lafon describes 2007 as offering a rare combination of high acids and ripe fruit but notes that due to the small crop the 2008s are even bigger wines. "The 2008s will be more dramatic than the 2007s," he offered, "but 2007 is a great year for Meursault, one of my favorites." My notes below are only on 2008 barrels that had finished their malos, but these notes must be considered as approximations since most samples came from new barriques. (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Dominique Lafon was taking a wait-and-see attitude on the 2008s as of the end of May. "It was a very small crop and the wines are almost too concentrated," he told me, adding "I never like my wines before the malos. And in 2008 in particular, the acidity and the sugar were struggling with each other in the early going." Lafon describes 2007 as offering a rare combination of high acids and ripe fruit but notes that due to the small crop the 2008s are even bigger wines. "The 2008s will be more dramatic than the 2007s," he offered, "but 2007 is a great year for Meursault, one of my favorites." My notes below are only on 2008 barrels that had finished their malos, but these notes must be considered as approximations since most samples came from new barriques. (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Lafon picked chardonnay on the late side in 2007, after the pinot. In fact, he describes 2007 as a complicated year: "like a late-picked vintage style for chardonnay but an early-picked style for pinot noir. I wasn't expecting such ripeness in the white wines." Potential alcohols were in the 12.6% to 13.3% range in chardonnay and acidity levels are quite sound, he added: "The wines are more about length than thickness." Incidentally, Lafon is a fan of the 2006s, which he believes he picked at the right time. "I love the 2000s and the 2006s for their elegance," he told me, noting that he prefers '06 to '05, which he finds almost too big. (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Lafon picked chardonnay on the late side in 2007, after the pinot. In fact, he describes 2007 as a complicated year: "like a late-picked vintage style for chardonnay but an early-picked style for pinot noir. I wasn't expecting such ripeness in the white wines." Potential alcohols were in the 12.6% to 13.3% range in chardonnay and acidity levels are quite sound, he added: "The wines are more about length than thickness." Incidentally, Lafon is a fan of the 2006s, which he believes he picked at the right time. "I love the 2000s and the 2006s for their elegance," he told me, noting that he prefers '06 to '05, which he finds almost too big. (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Dominique Lafon was one of a handful of growers in Meursault who started their chardonnay harvest prior to the official starting date of September 18. Not only that, but he brought in the last of his chardonnay on September 20, before the grape skins began to degrade. "On Tuesday [September 19], the grapes were solid and dry in our picking baskets," Lafon explained, "but on Wednesday they came in wet and leaking, as the skins were starting to break down." While other growers on the Cote de Beaune might claim that the fruit started to deteriorate at a later date, few would argue with Lafon's description of what eventually happened to the chardonnay grapes in September of '06. The frequency of lees stirring in '06 depended on the needs of each cuvee, noted Lafon. But he also told me that he has made the decision to do less settling of the must beginning with the 2006 vintage. Because he will begin with more sediment in his wines, more frequent batonnages will normally be necessary to avoid problems of reduction. Lafon, whose wines develop slowly in his cold cellar, was more positive about his 2005s than he was last spring. "During the first year I thought the wines were simply too big," he said. "But as they age we're finding more minerality and more structure than we expected." (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Dominique Lafon was one of a handful of growers in Meursault who started their chardonnay harvest prior to the official starting date of September 18. Not only that, but he brought in the last of his chardonnay on September 20, before the grape skins began to degrade. "On Tuesday [September 19], the grapes were solid and dry in our picking baskets," Lafon explained, "but on Wednesday they came in wet and leaking, as the skins were starting to break down." While other growers on the Cote de Beaune might claim that the fruit started to deteriorate at a later date, few would argue with Lafon's description of what eventually happened to the chardonnay grapes in September of '06. The frequency of lees stirring in '06 depended on the needs of each cuvee, noted Lafon. But he also told me that he has made the decision to do less settling of the must beginning with the 2006 vintage. Because he will begin with more sediment in his wines, more frequent batonnages will normally be necessary to avoid problems of reduction. Lafon, whose wines develop slowly in his cold cellar, was more positive about his 2005s than he was last spring. "During the first year I thought the wines were simply too big," he said. "But as they age we're finding more minerality and more structure than we expected." (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

The low crop level owing to a difficult flowering resulted in a number of weighty wines, said Dominique Lafon, who believed that the jury was still out on the quality of the new vintage."The white wines could turn out to be great, but they won't be showy young," he said."They have a lot of everything-structure, ripeness, power-but almost too much.The 1990 vintage was a bit like this in its youth."In contrast to many of his colleagues Lafon did more stirring of the lees in 2005 than in 2004, as he found that the 2005s were very reductive and needed the batonnage.Lafon told me that he, Thierry Matrot and Jean-Marc Roulot were the first growers in the village to start harvesting in 2005.Incidentally, Lafon is very high on his 2004 whites, which he currently likes better than the '05s "and maybe even the '02s." (Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; also a Daniel Johnnes Selection; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY)

Vintage 2004 brought a big crop, with even the estate's old vines producing upwards of 45 hectoliters per hectare, said Dominique Lafon, who maintained he left the oidium-affected grapes on the vines at harvest time. With potential alcohol levels in the 12.5% to 13.5% range, and even a bit higher for the Perrieres and Montrachet, chaptalization was not necessary. The sugar fermentations were especially long this year, but the malos, happily, were all finished when I stopped by to taste in early June. The crus here promise to be among the standouts of the 2004 vintage.

Vintage 2004 brought a big crop, with even the estate's old vines producing upwards of 45 hectoliters per hectare, said Dominique Lafon, who maintained he left the oidium-affected grapes on the vines at harvest time. With potential alcohol levels in the 12.5% to 13.5% range, and even a bit higher for the Perrieres and Montrachet, chaptalization was not necessary. The sugar fermentations were especially long this year, but the malos, happily, were all finished when I stopped by to taste in early June. The crus here promise to be among the standouts of the 2004 vintage.

The Meursault hillside suffered from the summer sun in 2003, while the bottom of the hill was hard-hit by frost, noted assistant Stephane Thibodaux. The Lafon holding in Le Montrachet fared better, though, as there's deeper soil here, and the vines are planted north-south, which means that the grapes were less exposed to the mid-day sun. Crop levels were down sharply in 2003, noted Thibodaux, as the vines had to wrestle with "frost, hail, thirst and sun. "For example, there are just 14 barrels of Charmes, compared to 40 in 2002, and 6 of Perrieres, vs. 14 the previous year. Lafon is doing less and less batonnage as a rule these days, and did less still with his 2003s. Thibodaux told me that the domain used a fairly high percentage of new oak (normally between 33% and 50%) as a result of having purchased the barrels in advance with the expectation of a somewhat larger crop, but noted that it's the power of the wine that can support aging in new oak, not just its acidity. (Classic Wine Imports, Boston MA Jeroboam Wines, New York NY

The Meursault hillside suffered from the summer sun in 2003, while the bottom of the hill was hard-hit by frost, noted assistant Stephane Thibodaux. The Lafon holding in Le Montrachet fared better, though, as there's deeper soil here, and the vines are planted north-south, which means that the grapes were less exposed to the mid-day sun. Crop levels were down sharply in 2003, noted Thibodaux, as the vines had to wrestle with "frost, hail, thirst and sun. "For example, there are just 14 barrels of Charmes, compared to 40 in 2002, and 6 of Perrieres, vs. 14 the previous year. Lafon is doing less and less batonnage as a rule these days, and did less still with his 2003s. Thibodaux told me that the domain used a fairly high percentage of new oak (normally between 33% and 50%) as a result of having purchased the barrels in advance with the expectation of a somewhat larger crop, but noted that it's the power of the wine that can support aging in new oak, not just its acidity. (Classic Wine Imports, Boston MA Jeroboam Wines, New York NY

Dominique Lafon, who told me last year that he prefers his 2000 whites to his 2001s for their delicacy and elegance, describes 2002 as "a vintage of power." The wines, he went on, have tasted sweet from the start, even though they finished their fermentations with 1.5 to 2.0 grams per liter of residual sugar. The sugar fermentations were very long, noted Lafon, but the malos then went quickly. The wines all got very reduced after the malolactic fermentations due to the high extract levels, so we stirred the lees on two different occasions," added Lafon, who normally does not do any further batonnage after the malos finish. As he presented his 2002s, Lafon compared them in style to his '92s and '89s, and ventured the opinion that they would close up in bottle. Crop levels were moderate in 2002. In the huge 1999 harvest, this estate produced about 300 barrels of wine, both red and white, while in 2000 the total was 270 and in 2001 only 230, due to a tiny crop of pinot noir. Vintage 2002 was between 2000 and 2001 in size. A few of Lafon's 2001s had been bottled in April; the rest were scheduled to be bottled by mid-July, without filtration.

Dominique Lafon, who told me last year that he prefers his 2000 whites to his 2001s for their delicacy and elegance, describes 2002 as "a vintage of power." The wines, he went on, have tasted sweet from the start, even though they finished their fermentations with 1.5 to 2.0 grams per liter of residual sugar. The sugar fermentations were very long, noted Lafon, but the malos then went quickly. The wines all got very reduced after the malolactic fermentations due to the high extract levels, so we stirred the lees on two different occasions," added Lafon, who normally does not do any further batonnage after the malos finish. As he presented his 2002s, Lafon compared them in style to his '92s and '89s, and ventured the opinion that they would close up in bottle. Crop levels were moderate in 2002. In the huge 1999 harvest, this estate produced about 300 barrels of wine, both red and white, while in 2000 the total was 270 and in 2001 only 230, due to a tiny crop of pinot noir. Vintage 2002 was between 2000 and 2001 in size. A few of Lafon's 2001s had been bottled in April; the rest were scheduled to be bottled by mid-July, without filtration.

Dominique Lafon, always articulate when describing the nature of new vintages, describes his young 2001s as bigger and rounder than his 2000s, from riper grapes that were lower in acidity. But the 2000s have more elegant fruit," he adds, making it clear that, for the moment at least, he prefers the style of the earlier vintage. Lafon left his 2000s on their lees until December of 2001, and told me he now allows his wines to settle in tank for two or three weeks prior to the bottling in order to get more clarity in the finished wines.

Dominique Lafon, always articulate when describing the nature of new vintages, describes his young 2001s as bigger and rounder than his 2000s, from riper grapes that were lower in acidity. But the 2000s have more elegant fruit," he adds, making it clear that, for the moment at least, he prefers the style of the earlier vintage. Lafon left his 2000s on their lees until December of 2001, and told me he now allows his wines to settle in tank for two or three weeks prior to the bottling in order to get more clarity in the finished wines.

Dominique Lafon, who describes '99 as an easy vintage, told me "there never were any odd aromas, and the wines have always been clear and crisp and precise. They're elegant and never heavy." Lafon left the '99s on their lees for a long time, but with minimal stirring. The 2000s were not quite as clear as the '99s and will get racked earlier. "They've tended to be more reductive and thus I've done more batonnage It actually a better vintage on paper than '99, with excellent intensity and strong acidity. And the young vines actually gave much more sugar in 2000 than in 1999." Even though Lafon made about 10% less wine than in the previous year, there will be more Charmes, since a higher percentage of the young-vines juice will be strong enough to make it into the final blend. In contrast to many of his fellow growers in Meursault, Lafon benefitted by beginning to pick his chardonnay several days after the official start of the harvest.

Dominique Lafon, who describes '99 as an easy vintage, told me "there never were any odd aromas, and the wines have always been clear and crisp and precise. They're elegant and never heavy." Lafon left the '99s on their lees for a long time, but with minimal stirring. The 2000s were not quite as clear as the '99s and will get racked earlier. "They've tended to be more reductive and thus I've done more batonnage It actually a better vintage on paper than '99, with excellent intensity and strong acidity. And the young vines actually gave much more sugar in 2000 than in 1999." Even though Lafon made about 10% less wine than in the previous year, there will be more Charmes, since a higher percentage of the young-vines juice will be strong enough to make it into the final blend. In contrast to many of his fellow growers in Meursault, Lafon benefitted by beginning to pick his chardonnay several days after the official start of the harvest.

"Why, with the succulent sugar/acid balance of so many '99 whites, isn't anyone making claims for greatness?" I asked Dominique Lafon. He replied: It is an outstanding year." He continued, "I said this for '97 too, but '99, in terms of the quality of both the reds and whites, may be my most successful vintage yet, even considering the huge crop." The wines have been easy to make, added Lafon, who compared their textures to the estate '82s, but with the added richness of '97. In comparison, notes Lafon, the '98s are almost too rich but not elegant enough, says Lafon. "They are big wines, but they are not fine in terms of flavors and complexity." I sense that some of Lafon's fruit was picked a bit later than was ideal: surely with all the weather challenges of the growing season, ripening was uneven, and deciding when to harvest was a challenge. "I made 290 barrels of wine in '99 and only 120 in '98," noted Lafon, "but I was dead at the end of the '98 harvest. In '99, it was more like playing than like work." Lafon fined most of the '98s, and feels that this process has helped to clarify the flavors.

"Why, with the succulent sugar/acid balance of so many '99 whites, isn't anyone making claims for greatness?" I asked Dominique Lafon. He replied: It is an outstanding year." He continued, "I said this for '97 too, but '99, in terms of the quality of both the reds and whites, may be my most successful vintage yet, even considering the huge crop." The wines have been easy to make, added Lafon, who compared their textures to the estate '82s, but with the added richness of '97. In comparison, notes Lafon, the '98s are almost too rich but not elegant enough, says Lafon. "They are big wines, but they are not fine in terms of flavors and complexity." I sense that some of Lafon's fruit was picked a bit later than was ideal: surely with all the weather challenges of the growing season, ripening was uneven, and deciding when to harvest was a challenge. "I made 290 barrels of wine in '99 and only 120 in '98," noted Lafon, "but I was dead at the end of the '98 harvest. In '99, it was more like playing than like work." Lafon fined most of the '98s, and feels that this process has helped to clarify the flavors.

Dominique Lafon describes 1998 as an extreme vintage for white wines, with total yields sharply lower due to frost and hail in the spring (Lafon produced just 120 barrels of wine in '98 (reds and whites), compared to 195 in '97 and 230 in '96). Concerned about the quality of the lees, he did a long debourbage and then was very selective about adding back a portion of the lees. Still, he told me at the end of May, the '98s show more fermentation aromas and less fruit than the '97s did at a similar stage of their evolution. The acids were a bit lower in '98 than in the previous year, but still average, according to Lafon. The '97s here are turning out well; Lafon describes them as more elegant than his '92s. Lafon did relatively quick fermentations and, although the lees were healthy, he did limited work with the lees as the wines were already round and intense. Still, the wines remained on their gross lees, protected by CO2 until they were racked in late July. The '97s, says Lafon, are finishing both drier and richer than the '98s.

Dominique Lafon describes 1998 as an extreme vintage for white wines, with total yields sharply lower due to frost and hail in the spring (Lafon produced just 120 barrels of wine in '98 (reds and whites), compared to 195 in '97 and 230 in '96). Concerned about the quality of the lees, he did a long debourbage and then was very selective about adding back a portion of the lees. Still, he told me at the end of May, the '98s show more fermentation aromas and less fruit than the '97s did at a similar stage of their evolution. The acids were a bit lower in '98 than in the previous year, but still average, according to Lafon. The '97s here are turning out well; Lafon describes them as more elegant than his '92s. Lafon did relatively quick fermentations and, although the lees were healthy, he did limited work with the lees as the wines were already round and intense. Still, the wines remained on their gross lees, protected by CO2 until they were racked in late July. The '97s, says Lafon, are finishing both drier and richer than the '98s.

When I visited this spring, Dominique Lafon was concerned about the potential size of the '98 crop, following damaging frost and spotty hail in some of his vineyards in April (Puligny Montrachet Champs Gains and Meursault Clos de la Barre were worst hit). He was not planning to drop any crop, expecting to get 30 35 hectoliters per hectare, at best, at harvest time. Lafon has never had a trio of consecutive vintages as strong as '95, '96 and '97, and these three years are quite different in style. Lafon says 1997 brought fruit as healthy as the previous year. The berries were almost golden in color, he explains; they gave some of the pear and quince flavors of '89 (Lafon '89s were some of the standouts in this superripe but often blowzy vintage), but also had a better acid balance. The '97s had not yet been racked at the time of my visit. Lafon planned to keep them on the gross lees protected by gas until July, but pointed out that he does less lees stirring now than in the old days. Incidentally, following the '96 harvest, Lafon slowed down the fermentations in an attempt to get more roundness and fullness into a group of wines with a tendency toward austerity. He stirred the lees until April. In '97, he took the opposite approach, allowing the fermentation to finish relatively quickly and stopping batonnage as soon as the malos began in January. One result of these techniques has been that the '96s generally finished with 1.5 to 2 grams per liter of residual sugar (a couple are even higher), while the '97s are in the relatively low 1 to 1.5 range.

When I visited this spring, Dominique Lafon was concerned about the potential size of the '98 crop, following damaging frost and spotty hail in some of his vineyards in April (Puligny Montrachet Champs Gains and Meursault Clos de la Barre were worst hit). He was not planning to drop any crop, expecting to get 30 35 hectoliters per hectare, at best, at harvest time. Lafon has never had a trio of consecutive vintages as strong as '95, '96 and '97, and these three years are quite different in style. Lafon says 1997 brought fruit as healthy as the previous year. The berries were almost golden in color, he explains; they gave some of the pear and quince flavors of '89 (Lafon '89s were some of the standouts in this superripe but often blowzy vintage), but also had a better acid balance. The '97s had not yet been racked at the time of my visit. Lafon planned to keep them on the gross lees protected by gas until July, but pointed out that he does less lees stirring now than in the old days. Incidentally, following the '96 harvest, Lafon slowed down the fermentations in an attempt to get more roundness and fullness into a group of wines with a tendency toward austerity. He stirred the lees until April. In '97, he took the opposite approach, allowing the fermentation to finish relatively quickly and stopping batonnage as soon as the malos began in January. One result of these techniques has been that the '96s generally finished with 1.5 to 2 grams per liter of residual sugar (a couple are even higher), while the '97s are in the relatively low 1 to 1.5 range.