All wines are sold En Primeur and prices are quoted In Bond.

White

Meursault 2007

£225.00 per 12 (IB) – add to basket

Gentle, breezy wine with fresh cut white flowers and a relaxed, easy richness. This is already showing plenty of interest. Drink from release. - armit

Spicy oaked citrus, then creamy almonds on the palate. Refreshing acidity and commendable depth and length. Drink 2009-13 – 17 points, Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, 28th January 2009

Not surprisingly, this is completely different with very fresh aromas that speak of hazelnut, white peach and apricot, all of which can also be found on the round, pure detailed and lightly stony flavors that culminate in a dry, racy and lingering finish. Solid quality for what this is and worth a look. 2011+ - 87-89 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #35

Meursault Vendanges Selectionées 2007

£265.00 per 12 (IB) – add to basket

Sourced from old vines just below Meursault Santenots, there is greater richness and ripeness on this and an exotic edge to the fruit with apricot, quince and orchard fruits, offest by floral fragrances. On the palate, the wine shows purity and linear form, driving through towards a suspended, hanging finish. Drink from release. - armit

The selected parcel is next to premier cru vineyards and has very little topsoil. They prefer not to give the parcel a name since soem people might assume it is a premier cru. Slightly spicy, more exotic than the straight Meursault, with riper stone fruit flavours. Dense, rich and already complex with a spicy finish. Drink 2009-13 – 17.5 points, Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, 28th January 2009

A slightly riper and more elegant nose offers up orchard fruit, roasted nuts and a hint of brioche that can also be found on the dense, rich and generous flavors that possess solid mid-palate concentration and plenty of dry extract that imparts a silky feel to the balanced, intense and finely detailed finish. Lovely. 2012+ - 88-90 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #35

Red

Bourgogne Passetoutgrain L’Exception 2007

£105.00 per 12 (IB) – add to basket

A Lafarge speciality, this is as good as Passetoutgrain gets! Gentle red berry fruit and spice compote with a whiff of leather and a surprising scale, this is a serious wine that shows great length and plenty of ambition. Drink from 2010.   - armit

(from 80+ year old vines, also made from a 50/50 mix of pinot and gamay). This is ever so slightly riper with a similar nose where the only appreciable difference is a bit more overall complexity that continues onto the rustic, firm and delicious flavors that deliver excellent length in the context of what this is. You rarely see PTG’s like this, not only in terms of its quality but also that it’s built to age. Recommended. - 85-88 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #34

Aged in 10-year-old barrels. Peppery, mineral and fresh. Delicious quaffer. Drink 2009-10 – 16 points, Jancis Robinson MW, jancisrobinson.com, 28th January 2009

Bourgogne Rouge 2007

£130.00 per 12 (IB) – add to basket

Lafarge produces one of the most serious Bourgognes anywhere in the Côte from 40 year-old vines on the edge of the village. This has impressive depth and crunchy red fruit with a straight, direct delivery. Drink from 2010. - armit

(from 40+ year old vines that were once classified as Volnay villages). An earthy red berry fruit nose that is slightly more elegant as well as a bit fresher merges into equally complex flavors that are also built to age, at least by the standards that one typically associates with the appellation. - 85-88 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #34

Remarkably brilliant colour for such a young wine. Sweet, straightforward red fruit flavours. Dry, fine and lively, full of life, with just a hint of spice. Just what Bourgogne Rouge should be. It will surely last longer than this but I'd enjoy it young. Drink 2009-10 – 16.5 points, Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, 28th January 2009

Beaune 1er Cru Aigrots 2007

£431.00 per 12 (IB) – add to basket

From steep slopes high up above the town, this is pure and mineral with charming, bright fruit but a clear sense of linear drive. There is a mineral backbone running right the way through this. Drink from 2012. - armit

(from 40+ year old vines). Here too there is a bit of visible wood setting off even more elegant red berry fruit aromas that are also airy, pure and cool, which is to say that the considerable altitude of the vineyard is clearly in evidence. The precise and energetic flavors are supple, mineral-driven and very Beaune as there is generosity present that makes for a delicious yet focused effort. - 89-91 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #34

Pinot Noir planted on the lower part of this premier cru vineyard. Two weeks' vatting with gentle extraction. A little earthy yet still perfumed with fragrant red fruit. Silky, less evident tannin and the Volnay but still well structured. Charming. Moderate length. Drink 2010-15 – 17 points, Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, 28th January 2009

Beaune 1er Cru Grèves 2007

£460.00 per 12 (IB) – add to basket

This is a wine of abundant natural confidence, without the nervous energy of the Aigrots. Deep, heady raspberry coulis notes over a mineral core and deep, complex spicy underlay. A great Beaune. Drink from 2012. - armit

(from 80+ year old vines). Not surprisingly, this is completely different with a more deeply pitched and notably earthier aromatic profile to the red and blue pinot fruit that introduces rich, full and complex flavors that possess really lovely depth and excellent length. This is a powerful Beaune with impressive intensity. - 90-92 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #34

Bright, lightish colour. Fragrant and just a little earthy. Firm, slightly chewy but it's the lovely red fruit that dominates even though there's density and richness. Very accomplished. Drink 2010-18 – 18 points, Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, 28th January 2009

Pommard 1er Cru Pézerolles 2007

£575.00 per 12 (IB) – SOLD OUT

A highly distinguished cuvée, this shows creamy intensity to its fruit but also wildness and a typical animal note. There is finesse and fragrance alongside the flecks of spice that dart in and out as the wine is moved around the palate. The tannins are admirably supple. Drink from 2014. - armit

(the Domaine’s smallest holding at only .14 ha with vines that are now 50+ years of age). This is also quite elegant though it can’t match the best in the range in this respect. Still, the lacy red berry fruit and pungent minerality make for a lovely introduction to the detailed, precise and intense flavors that are quite supple on the mid-palate yet firm up quickly on the sappy, concentrated and explosive finish. Worth a look. - 91-93 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #34

Much more savoury and darker than the Volnays just tasted. Sturdy but with fine fruit. Attractive savoury finesse. Drink 2011-18 – 17.5 points, Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, 28th January 2009

Volnay 1er cru Clos des Chênes 2007

£675.00 per 12 (IB) – add to basket

(from 45+ year old vines that sit just above Champans). A beguiling and seductive nose of earthy, spicy and highly layered red pinot and plum aromas lead to earthy, pure and gorgeously intense medium full-bodied flavors that possess real volume and power yet retain very fine detail and that extra dimension of depth that marks all great wine. This is a most impressive effort and if you can find it, buy it – note however that patience will be required as this will require the better part of a decade to arrive at its peak. - 92-94 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #34

Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets 2007

£675.00 per 12 (IB) – add to basket

(from a parcel measuring 7 ouvrées, or around .3 ha of 40+ year old vines). This is not more elegant or refined but it is more complex with riper and darker fruit that includes cool and ultra pure blue and black pinot aromas, floral notes and wet stone where the latter suffuses the textured, sappy and mouth coating medium-bodied flavors oozing with dry extract that completely buffers the otherwise firm but ripe tannins on the powerful finish that is brilliantly persistent. - 91-94 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound Issue #34

2007 vintage report

The perfect conditions in September gave great joy to the harvesters, with the first red coming in on 31st August and the last white on 19th September. As in 2006, we see a level of appealing fruit on these young wines somewhat uncommon to seasoned observers of Lafarge but if there was ever a way to dimiss the notion of lack of longevity in cooler vintages, Frederic blind-tasted us over dinner a 1972 Clos des Chenes, a vintage so forgotten that even Clive Coates omitted to feature it in his new addition of The Wines of Burgundy. We pinned it down to the 70s but 72  was not an obvious conclusion. The wine was far too gorgeous, full of life and vigour for a ‘drink up’ year. The point of mentioning this? Great vineyards and great winemakers make great wine every year…

We also have a small availability of Volnay and Volnay 1er Crus from Domaine Lafarge. Please ask any of the sales team for further information.