Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres 2011

robert_parker89

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Meursault 1er Cru les Genevrières 2011 is austere on the nose and, to be honest, it seems a little anodyne compared to its peers. The palate is crisp on the entry with bitter lemon and orange rind. There is moderate weight in the mouth, but like the first wine there is a slight volatile element that blurs the finish. After 15 minutes the wine improves, developing more spiciness and tension, although it still lacks that "je ne sais quoi."

robert_parker91

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Bottled early like the Bouchere, the 2011 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres has a recalcitrant bouquet that refuses to come out to play after the fireworks offered by the Goutte d’Or. The palate is rich and quite exotic compared to Dominique’s other 2011, although it does not have the same level of tension and poise as the Goutte d’Or or the Bouchere. This was not quite up to the level of its peers on this showing. It was great to see Dominique Lafon three weeks after meeting him in Macon, this time back in Meursault. That semi-pornographic, licentious wine advertisement still hung on the office wall (those that have been there know what I mean) and a cigarette butt drooped from Dominique’s mouth, possibly the same one he lit when I bid him farewell back in Macon. If you added up all the charisma and charm in Bordeaux it still would amount to less than Dominique Lafon. I have tasted at this address for over a decade, but this marked the first time I had been presented his complete set of Premier Cru Meursault wines since his acquisition from Domaine Manuel with Jean-Marc Roulot. He remarked that possibly with the exception of a negociant, he is the only vigneron with all six top-tier Premier Crus south of the village. Dominique opened his full range of 2011s, including the Montrachet, which he avowed to polish off with a fish supper that night. How I would have loved to join him. Needless to say, this was an exemplary set of 2011s that do not disappoint. While like many others he concedes that 2010s have the upper hand and are likely to outlive them, he admires the 2011s for their approachability and charm. Importer: Becky Wassermann Selections (Le Serbet); www.leserbet.com

vinous93

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

Lafon's 2011 Meursault Genevrières is quite soft and open for this site. The characteristic intense mineral notes are there, but in 2011 the fruit is particularly generous and resonant, which tempers some of the typical Genevrières minerality. Site-specific signature emerge on the finish, but with a little more softness than is typical.