Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Montrachet Grand Cru 2012

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2012 Montrachet Grand Cru comes from 0.32-hectares of vine planted on the Chassagne side, which technically means it should be "Le Montrachet". It was picked on 3 October. It has a penetrating apple blossom, pear and mineral scents bouquet that needs a lot of coaxing - but it is like playing with gelignite as those aromas spontaneously explode from the glass. The palate is very complex with energetic and tense citrus fruit combined with freshly sliced lime and orange zest. It gains momentum with every passing moment and the spice-tinged finish is reminiscent of Dominique Lafon's Meursault Charmes but with greater precision. This is just divine. 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_parker98

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2012 tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Montrachet Grand Cru from Dominique Lafon is much more reduced on the nose compared to Marquis de Laguiche: waxier in style, less mineral-driven, sporting resinous scents that don't quite "sing" of Montrachet. The palate is fresh and crisp, a little shrillness on the entry with a sharp citric thread of acidity, finishing in more accomplished fashion than the nose augured with a saline aftertaste. It is quite amazing how this Montrachet magically gains more and more precision in the glass. It is a different style Montrachet to Laguiche but equally compelling.