Domaine des Comtes LAFON (Meursault) -- 2018 Part II: Whites Tasted from Barrel and Tank

(Please read my introduction to the vintage here and my introduction to 2018 at Lafon here.)

Although yields were very high in 2018 (60 hl/ha for the straight Meursault. 40-50 hl/ha for the premiers crus), Dominique Lafon pointed out, correctly, I think, that had they not been, the wines would have been too high in alcohol. Malo-lactic fermentations were very quick here, even some starting before alcoholic fermentation, but fortunately there was no problem with volatile acidity.

With all this and the first few wines that were good, but not better, I was not expecting the outstanding quality of the premier cru wines and the greatness of the Montrachet. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine des Comtes LAFON (Meursault) -- 2018 Part I: Red Wines Tasted from Barrel

(Please read my introduction to the vintage here.)

As I mention in the introduction to the vintage, Dominique Lafon justified harvesting earlier than the traditional 100 days from flowering on the basis that the flowering now takes place earlier than when the rule was established, and as a result the grapes have more exposure to the long days of summer. The results back his reasoning.

Harvesting for the whites began on 28 August and finished at the beginning of September; for the reds, harvesting began at the end of August. Yields for red are less than in 2017 (when the vines reacted vigorously after the frosts of 2016). For reds, they are 35-40 hl/ha, a bit more for Monthélie; for the whites, yields go up to 60 hl/ha for the village wine.

Malo-lactic fermentations were finished long before I tasted in late October, and the wines are going to receive a longer élévage than the 2017s. 

For the reds, all grapes were destemmed. Alcohols are in the range of 13.0 - 13.4º.

Starting, as always here, with the reds: (Continue reading here.)

Domaine des Comtes LAFON (Meursault) -- 2016 Tasted from Tank and Barrel

(Originally published November 2017)

Harvesting began with the whites on 16 September (Meursault, Clos de la Baronne young vines and Meursault-Bouchères) and finished on 27 September with the red Monthélie-Duresses.

In 2016, all red wines were destemmed. Malolactic fermentations were rather early for Lafon, finishing in January and February. The Monthélie and many of the whites were already in tank when I tasted, and by December, all the wines will be in tank. For the reds, at least, there was almost no new oak, but more recent barrels than usual.

Acidities are a little less than in 2015 and in the range of normal.

The quality is certainly here in 2016, but as for the quantity . . . . (Continue reading here.)

Domaine des Comtes LAFON (Meursault) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

(Originally published 5 August 2018.)

My reports on vintage conditions and tasting of these and the other Lafon wines of 2015 from barrel are here and here.  (Continue reading here.)

Domaine des Comtes LAFON (Meursault) 2015 from Tank and Barrel -- Part II: Whites

(Originally published 13 April 2017.)

Dominique Lafon began harvesting the whites on 27 August. As you can see below, malolactic fermentations were quite slow for some wines, and some placed in stainless steel to finish their malos before being returned to barrel.

These are some of the best 2015 whites that I have encountered. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine des Comtes LAFON (Meursault) 2015 from Barrel Part I: Red Wines

(Originally published in 13 April 2017.)

Dominique Lafon said that for the reds, he began harvesting with the Clos des Chênes on 31 August; the Monthélie was harvested on 5 September. The grapes were almost all destemmed (exception for the Clos des Chênes). Malolactic fermentations finished in February. Dominique expected to bottle the Monthélie in March or April, the others a little later. (Continue reading here.)