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Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Meursault, Magnum

Burgundy, France 2012 (750mL)
$280.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Meursault, Magnum

Lafon Meursault. That’s all that needs to be said, really. This is some of the most expressive, opulent, aristocratic Chardonnay on earth, from a category-defining master of the Meursault AOC.As a special treat to our subscribers, we got our hands on a very small lot of MAGNUMS from the 2012 vintage.
As is typical of Lafon, the wine is quite delicious to drink now, but it has a decade or more under the hood. There’s not much, so quick action is a must.
Since 1985, the Domaine des Comtes Lafon has been embodied by the aristocratic Dominique Lafon. Between the success of his family estate and his travels further afield (including Oregon to make Willamette Valley Pinot Noir), Dominique is a true international wine celebrity, and he looks the part: Few can pull off the sweater-over-the-shoulders look, or smoke a cigarette with as much insouciance, as Dominique. And yet he is not some dilettante—quite the contrary, he’s a devoted organic and biodynamic farmer who is probably more at home on a tractor than at fancy wine dinners. What Lafon’s wines showcase, above all else, is the purity and energy that comes from healthy soils. When Dominique took over the property from his father, René, in 1985, many of the family’s vineyard holdings were leased out to others; by 1995, Dominique had brought the estate’s 16 hectares back under family control and obtained organic certification. By 1998 he was incorporating biodynamics, placing him well ahead of the curve on that front.

For this village Meursault bottling, Lafon sources primarily from four old-vine estate vineyards: “En la Barre” (0.6 hectares; 40-year-old vines); “En Luraule” (.45 hectares); “Les Crotots” (.17 hectares) and “Clos de la Baronne” (1.3 hectares). In some vintages, some younger-vine fruit from some of Lafon’s Premier Crus might be added as well. Yields in all the Lafon vineyards are kept incredibly low; couple that with the incredible health of the vines and you get a crystal clear expression of terroir, great concentration of flavor, and varietal purity. In the cellar, the fruit is meticulously sorted then slowly and gently pressed. The juice is cold settled for 24 hours then transferred to barrels (only a small percentage of which are new). From there the juice undergoes a slow, spontaneous fermentation with only native yeasts, which lasts about three months. The wine is kept quite cool and the lees are only stirred on a barrel-by-barrel basis. The wines are racked, retaining their fine lees, then are transferred to older barrels where they age for 18-22 months, depending on the vintage. The wines are racked for clarity and may be fined with a small amount of bentonite. The precise yet non-interventionist winemaking makes for an unadulterated expression of village Meursault at its best.
 
The 2012 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault displays a beautiful golden core with slight green reflections on the rim. The nose reveals notes of Asian pear, yellow apple, a touch of dried pineapple, lime blossoms and an array of fresh hawthorn, acacia and honeysuckle over crushed limestone and baking spices. The 2012 vintage offered up fleshy fruit, concentration and richness of texture and mouthfeel on the palate, which is offset with ample brightness, verve and energy. A truly special bottle to enjoy with your best friends, this is a wine to savor every sip of over the span of a few hours. It’s just too precious to rush it. Pull the cork 2-3 hours prior and serve in Burgundy stems at cellar temperature or just a touch above. This wine will elevate almost any meal, but we recommend a wheel of excellent Époisses with fresh baguettes. Nibble, savor and just let the magic happen.
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FranceMeursault
Soil
Limestone and Clay
Farming
Organic
Blend
Chardonnay
Alcohol
12.5
OAK
Mostly Neutral French
TEMP.
55
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2030
Decanting
2-3 Hours

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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