Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Volnay 1er Cru Santenots du Milieu 2014

vinous93

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

(13% alcohol; less than 20 hectoliters per hectare produced): Good bright red. Pretty aromas of dark cherry, menthol and dark chocolate. Rich, broad, ripe and dry; more mouthfilling than the foregoing samples but still with a light touch. (The pH here is 3.4, but Lafon noted that the '15s have lower pHs and higher acidity.) Lovely depth to the fruit, spice and soil tones. Finishes very long, with refined tannins, superb energy and excellent balance. This will probably be accessible relatively early, like the Monthélie.

vinous94

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

(the crop level here was 17. 5 hectoliters per hectare, according to Lafon): Good full red. Excellent mineral lift to the aromas of black cherry, licorice, bitter chocolate and animal fur. Plush, sweet and fine-grained, with intense primary fruit flavors framed and lifted by licorice and minerals. Superb vinosity here. This very complex, rich, concentrated wine boasts terrific palate presence and dimension. The fruit was picked in the high 12s and, like the Champans, was not chaptalized. A superb vintage for this cuvée.