Debut Bottling from Meursault Master
2012 Comtes de Lafon Meursault
Clos de la Baronne
"Quite simply, this is the best white wine domaine in Burgundy" - Clive Coates
Alongside Jean-François Coche-Dury and Jean-Marc Roulot, Dominique Lafon is one of the unquestionable greats in Meursault. And while Lafon's stellar reputation is no revelation to the seasoned Burgundy lovers among us, Lafon's new bottling is big news.
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2012 marks the very first vintage that the Clos de la Baronne has been bottled as a single parcel and the results are delicious.
Dominique Lafon is very highly regarded for his fanatical grape selection and biodynamic agriculture, for the way he coaxes the most beautiful expressions of terroir out of each respective site.
This debut bottling is sourced from the 2.7ha Clos de la Baronne, a monopole which includes 40-year-old vines. Dominique Lafon and Jean-Marc Rolout acquired the land along with other top Meursault vineyards in 2011.
When I first tasted the 2012 Clos de la Baronne during my visit to Dominique Lafon earlier this year, I was struck by the sheer concentration and mineral intensity. When it landed recently, we opened a bottle and it was every bit as good as I remembered.
Lafon is now bottling three village wines and we love all of them. In terms of weight and length, the 2012 Lafon Meursault Clos de la Baronne drinks well above the vineyard designation, delivering an intensity that recalls Lafon's Clos de la Barre; both are bottles that could go head-to-head with many 1er Crus without breaking a sweat. The clarity and vigor of Lafon's village level wines has not gone unnoticed and bottles can be famously difficult to come by.
Availability of the 2012s is especially brutal. It was a tough growing season with yields down to microscopic levels, resulting in wines that Lafon notes "could well be the most concentrated" he has ever made.
The 2012 Clos de la Baronne is a thrilling debut. We recommend you jump on this as Lafon's wines tend to quickly disappear into the cellars of top restaurants and saavy collectors. To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine and Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits