Domaine des Comtes Lafon
Volnay Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru Pinot Noir
Volnay, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Beautifully mature-looking but still not fully mature Volnay Santenots, with an expansive, confectionery nose of mid-season cherry, a faint touch of caramelized cherry, desiccated leaves, citrus peel, moss and beautifully precise wet earth. The aromatics are the star, already operating closer to 9.6 or 9.7, with terrific definition and that muscular Santenots character beginning to soften into something more layered and elegant. The palate is concentrated and dense, with excellent inner-mouth aromas, layered tannins and very good freshness, though the tannins became a little more assertive with air before settling back down. Fantastic wine at twenty years old, but still carrying enough structure that I would not call it fully mature.
Beautifully mature-looking but still not fully mature Volnay Santenots, with an expansive, confectionery nose of mid-season cherry, a faint touch of caramelized cherry, desiccated leaves, citrus peel, moss and beautifully precise wet earth. The aromatics are the star, already operating closer to 9.6 or 9.7, with terrific definition and that muscular Santenots character beginning to soften into something more layered and elegant. The palate is concentrated and dense, with excellent inner-mouth aromas, layered tannins and very good freshness, though the tannins became a little more assertive with air before settling back down. Fantastic wine at twenty years old, but still carrying enough structure that I would not call it fully mature.
Oct 13th, 2026
Gorgeous! These wines need age to soften and ‘02, one of my favorite Burgundy vintages is a beauty tonight, seamlessly evolved with a terrific combination of generous fruit expression, secondary earthy character and a velvety palate. Excellent.
Gorgeous! These wines need age to soften and ‘02, one of my favorite Burgundy vintages is a beauty tonight, seamlessly evolved with a terrific combination of generous fruit expression, secondary earthy character and a velvety palate. Excellent.
Feb 6th, 2026Epic vintage that is just starting to open up. Accessible but a lot more complexity should develop with time, based on the secondary characteristics that started to show with air
Epic vintage that is just starting to open up. Accessible but a lot more complexity should develop with time, based on the secondary characteristics that started to show with air
Nov 3rd, 2024
The 2013 Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru offers blackberry, raspberry, undergrowth and loamy scents on the nose, nicely defined and fresh after ten years. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly rustic tannins, ferrous, lifted acidity with maybe just a touch more bitterness on the finish than I would have liked. It's a tad dry, but this still has much to offer. I would drink this earlier than the 2013 Les Perrières. (Neal Martin, Vinous, October 2023)
The 2013 Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru offers blackberry, raspberry, undergrowth and loamy scents on the nose, nicely defined and fresh after ten years. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly rustic tannins, ferrous, lifted acidity with maybe just a touch more bitterness on the finish than I would have liked. It's a tad dry, but this still has much to offer. I would drink this earlier than the 2013 Les Perrières. (Neal Martin, Vinous, October 2023)
In a dumb phase between fruit and tertiary. Lots of potential.
In a dumb phase between fruit and tertiary. Lots of potential.
Dec 4th, 2022A little angular and thin at first but pulled itself together. A very nice bottle but not quite the laser-like limestone driven poise I recall from other vintages. Good wine but not a value by any stretch
A little angular and thin at first but pulled itself together. A very nice bottle but not quite the laser-like limestone driven poise I recall from other vintages. Good wine but not a value by any stretch
Sep 16th, 2022Amazing vitality still. Poise and polish, this is a gorgeous Volnay from the Meursault masters.
Amazing vitality still. Poise and polish, this is a gorgeous Volnay from the Meursault masters.
Aug 3rd, 2022
Confrérie Des Chevaliers du Tastevin Sous-Commanderie d'Albany, Paulée Dinner; 6 February 2022 at Hooked Market & Kitchen, Latham, NY
Confrérie Des Chevaliers du Tastevin Sous-Commanderie d'Albany, Paulée Dinner; 6 February 2022 at Hooked Market & Kitchen, Latham, NY
Feb 6th, 2022Not a great fan of comtes lafon’s reds. This wine smells like nail polish, it frankly stinks. Austere beyond belief, zero fruit.
Not a great fan of comtes lafon’s reds. This wine smells like nail polish, it frankly stinks. Austere beyond belief, zero fruit.
May 6th, 2021