Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Domaine Michel LAFARGE (Volnay) -- 2015 Tasted from Barrel and a 2014 from Bottle



Frédéric Lafarge said that overall, in 2016, he had 35% of a full harvest, with the whites suffering the worst. This comes after the three straight years of hail in 2012-13-14 and the small amounts in 2015 (plus hail in 2008, 2006, 2004, 2001, etc.). As for 2015, whites are 80% of normal and reds 50% of normal — very serious in any scenario except when you compare to the surrounding vintages. 

As I mentioned in my overall review of the vintage, Frédéric’s father Michel has compared 2015 to 1929 — a very celebrated vintage that he grew up drinking on many occasions (Michel was born in 1928). 

The Volnays were harvested between 5 and 10 September. For the reds, the malolactic fermentations finished in January and February.

As always, the Lafarge reds start at a very high level with the lower appellations and those looking for value and/or wines that come around sooner should consider the Bourgogne and the two village Volnays.

We start with the whites, which were expected to be bottled in February and March: (Continue reading here.)

posted by Claude Kolm has been writing The Fine Wine Review since 1986. At the end of 2014, it switched to a blog in order to allow more timely and in depth information about estates. @ 8:05 PM