"This is first-rate" -Burghound
2011 Lafon Meursault:
Clos de la Barre & 1er Cru Charmes
If Lafon needs any introduction at all (doubtful), it should suffice to say that Dominique Lafon is unquestionably one of the greats in Meursault, along with Jean-Françoise Coche-Dury.
Lafon has produced an enormous number of legendary bottles.
For me, Lafon has never been better. He used to work in a much bigger style, but recent years have seen him slimming down, shaping his wines with more laser-cut minerality. I'm really loving the precision that's coming from Lafon these days.
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Every time I've tasted a recent vintage of Lafon, I've been blown away. The wines seem to have simultaneously taken clarity, rigor and intensity to a whole new level. I'm particular impressed by the 2011s. The wines really seem to have it all.
The Clos de la Barre is a perfect jumping off point to highlight how wildly successful Lafon was in 2011. It has plenty of substance and mid-palate heft wrapped around a driving acidity that leads to a really long, mineral drenched finish. Burghound nails it when he writes, "this is an excellent villages."
Lafon's 1er Cru Charmes is a very special bottle. It may very well be the most consistently great Charmes out there. The location of Lafon's vines definitely help. They're below Perrières, a 1er Cru that's Meursault's best site and a Grand Cru in all but name. "This is first-rate," writes Burghound. This is a really classy Meursault with its layers of complexity and pinpoint detail. We don't have a lot of this, so I'll restrain myself.
Lafon is one of the great masters of Meursault. These are simply dazzling wines and are not to be missed.
To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
Burghound: "This is aromatically quite similar to the straight Meursault except here the framing wood is a bit more evident. The textured and well-concentrated flavors are brought into sharp relief but the solid acid spine that is firm enough to shape as well as support the dry, clean and very long finish. This is an excellent villages that is perhaps a bit more lively than it typically is. Worth considering."
Burghound: "An expressive and very pure nose is composed of aromas of hazelnut, citrus, acacia blossom and extract of peach and apricot. There is terrific underlying tension and plenty of minerality to the medium-bodied flavors that possess almost painful intensity on the explosively persistent finish. This is first-rate though moderate patience will be required."