Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Volnay 1er Cru Champans 2012

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2012 Volnay 1er Cru Champans comes from vines planted in 1922 and 1989. It has darker fruit than the Clos des Chenes, a little more introverted and withdrawn yet still displaying fine delineation and attractive floral scents. The palate is taut with good structure, more masculine and perhaps long term than the Clos des Chene. Vin de garde ahoy! I am a simmering ball of irritation sitting in Dominique Lafon's office watching the second hand chipping away at precious time. Where is he? Our rendezvous was 8.30am. Now it's past nine and I have to be at Rossignol-Trapet, essentially the other side of the world, at 10.15am. I should bolt out of the door. But I don't. I don't because this is Domaine des Comtes Lafon. They have what I call a "special pass of forgiveness" that is totally at my discretion and totally unfair. But that's just the way it is. He's probably stopped for a cigarette. Dominique Lafon appears just after 9:03am, suitably remorseful and the raffish rascal has so much charm that I have to resist playfully punching him on the arm and saying: "It was my fault for demanding such an early start." And so we immediately troop down to the cellars to taste the 2012s, starting with the reds that were depleted by one-third due to the multifarious obstacles mentioned all over this report. Dominique divulged that like everywhere else, there were tardy malo-lactic fermentations and that he had not racked the wines. At time of writing he doubts that he will do so. As for the whites, they were depleted by between one-third and one-half, in particular affecting Les Perrieres and Montrachet. Whereas usually Dominique has around 350 barrels in his care, in 2012 that number is around 170. Dominique gave me the minutiae of the harvest, which commenced on 14 September with the young vines in Clos de la Baronne and finished on 23 September in Monthelie and Montrachet. (Compare this to 2011 that began on 24 August and 2013 that began on the 25 September, two days after the 2012 was finished.) How were the wines? We don't have time. Let's bash on with the notes Importer: Becky Wassermann Selections (Le Serbet); www.leserbet.com (see website for full list of distributors) and also through Berry Brothers & Rudd (UK)

robert_parker

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Volnay 1er Cru Champans from Domaine des Comtes-Lafon has a rather skinny nose with blackberry and raspberry fruit, wet undergrowth and just a hint of blood orange. The palate is medium-bodied with quite an oaky entry, sweet in the mouth with good acidity and plenty of spice, though it lacks nuance and feels "blocky" on the finish. I hazard a guess that this Volnay is at an awkward stage given how well it performed from barrel and its track record, so I will reserve judgement for now.