Radically Overperforming
2011 Lafarge Bourgogne Rouge
"As it almost always does, this boxes well above its weight and knocks on the door of villages level quality." -Burghound
Lafarge is a producer that we keep returning to. And it doesn't matter where in the range it is. From Aligoté to his great Clos des Chenes, we love them all.
 |
With all that said, I have a soft spot for Lafarge's Bourgogne Rouge. It's one of the few Bourgogne Rouges that I buy for my cellar every year. For me, along with Mugneret-Gibourg, Chevillon and Bachelet, Lafarge Bourgogne Rouge overdelivers in a big way. With a handful of years and some secondary development, Lafarge's Bourgogne Rouge assumes a beautifully nuanced complexity.
This is one of the great deals in Red Burgundy. Burghound is spot-on when he says that Lafarge's Bourgogne exists on a much higher level than the Bourgogne Rouge designation indicates. It has a depth and a fineness that makes it feel much more like villages wine.
Lafarge is one of the great names in Burgundy and, along with d'Angerville, a long-standing benchmark for Volnay. Certainly, thoughtful, highly skilled winemaking plays a role. But so does terroir: Lafarge's is sourced from vines that were part of the Volnay appellation before the appellation was redrawn.
The CĂ´te de Beaune was a high point of the 2011 vintage. The wines can be truly seductive, balancing tension with wonderfully fresh vibrancy and lift. Even in this context, Lafarge's 2011 collection is really strong. The wines are so clear and balanced.
The 2011 Lafarge's Bourgogne Rouge dramatizes just how successful the wines were in this vintage. There's a length and delineation here that's startling. We'd advise you to grab at least a few bottles to watch evolve over the next five or so years.
To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits