The stellar reputation of this property is built on outstanding raw materials allied to great winemaking. Three generations ago, domaine founder Jules Lafon assembled significant holdings at the heart of the very best sites of Meursault and Volnay. Winemaker Dominique Lafon, following on from his innovative, technically-minded father in 1986, has built on this rich legacy, taking full control of the viticulture previously contracted out to métayers and bringing the domaine’s red wines up to the extraordinary standard the whites. Late-harvested, low-yielding Meursault vines give dramatic, concentrated juice which is transformed, via prolonged barrel-maturation, into creamy, lees-rich wine with remarkable ageing potential.
These wines are offered on an allocation basis.
General information
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Country
France
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Region
Meursault, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy
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Total holdings
16.3ha
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Winemaker
Dominique Lafon
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Established
1869
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Cultivation
Organic (certified), biodynamic (since 1998, not certified)
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Website
Wines produced
Wine | Grapetype(s) | Vine age | Soil type | Vineyard area |
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Meursault | Chardonnay | 1953, 56, 75 | Mixture | 2.55ha |
Meursault Clos de la Barre | Chardonnay | 1950, 75, 99, 04 | Clay with hard limestone substrate | 2.12ha |
Meursault Désirée | Chardonnay | 2008 | Thick red clay | 0.45ha |
Meursault 1er cru Charmes | Chardonnay | 1946, 63, 96 | Deep clay-limestone, rocky subsoil | 1.71ha |
Meursault 1er cru Genevrières | Chardonnay | 1956 & 1993 | Lighter, limestone-rich | 0.55ha |
Meursault 1er cru Perrières | Chardonnay | 1955 & 1983 | Shallow white limestone and marl | 0.91ha |
Montrachet grand cru | Chardonnay | 1953 & 1972 | Dark, deep, rocky soils | 0.32ha |
Volnay 1er cru Champans | Pinot Noir | 1922 & 1989 | Limestone with small stones | 0.52ha |
Volnay Santenots du Milieu 1er cru | Pinot Noir | 1944, 62, 65, 78, 96, 02 | Shallow red clay soil, hard limestone substrate | 3.78ha |
Viticulture / Vinification
White wines
- Indigenous yeasts used for fermentations
- Favours early picking, very early for whites
- Organic viticulture results in higher acid wines
- Élevage in barrique
- One racking
- Moved to tank in January/February - experimenting with extended time in tank - adds tension
- Bottling begins in April
- Bottles with Diam 30 corks from the 2013 vintage
Red wines
- Favours early picking, wants a maximum of 13% abv for reds
- Fermentation with indigenous yeasts
- All destemmed
- Bottles with Diam 30 corks from the 2013 vintage