2013 Domaine des Comtés Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre

Pale yellow with green highlights. Musky, slightly reduced aromas of fruit salad and clove come across as a bit less pristine than the Désirée. Then sharply chiseled and dry in the mouth; less broad and open than the Désirée but with brighter acidity and more length. The 2013s finished very dry, noted Lafon, all between 0.5 and 1.0 grams of residual sugar per liter.

Tasting from a barrel from the old 65-year-old vines that had finished their malo earlier than the younger, the 2013 Meursault Clos de la Barre has a powerful smoke and hazelnut bouquet that bodes well for bottling. The palate is quite tensile on the entry with citrus peel, orange rind and hazelnut: linear in the mouth, but holding nothing back on the intense finish. This is a very commendable Meursault, even if it is overshadowed by of Dominique's more "ambitious" premier crus.

First lot, all 60+-year-old vines: Second lot, young (‘just’ 40-year-old!) vines in tank undergoing malo. Sumptuous start with slightly aggressive texture and masses of acidity. Full-on punch between the eyeballs. Far from elegant. Chewy end. Rather rich and gorgeous. Very full and dense. (JR)