Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Volnay Premier Cru, Les Santenots du Milieu 2019

Those who overlook Lafon’s reds do so at their own peril. The Volnay Santenots du Milieu is a prime example. The domaine owns 4ha in this climat, considered among the greatest in Volnay. Only the old vines are used, some of which are more than eighty years of age. The gentle winemaking here gives the wine a lovely, perfumed ripe cherry character, floral notes and a distinct minerality, while the texture shows elegant, fine-grained tannins, surprising freshness and a marvellous finesse.

Drink 2024 - 2039

Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.

The 2019 Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru has a lovely floral bouquet. Whilst there is noticeable reduction, I can imagine that being addressed with bottle age. The palate is very pure and the tannins quite finessed, plus there is an element of transparency that is less common in Volnay in this vintage compared to others. This fans out nicely on its peacocks tail finish. Excellent. This is a cut above the others in this flight.

Drink 2026 - 2047

Aromas of plums, wild berries, rose petals, warm spices and raw cocoa introduce Lafon's 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots-du-Milieu, a medium to full-bodied, bright and precise wine that's layered and concentrated, with an elegant, refined profile that's finer-boned than its more muscular 2018 predecessor. This is very promising.