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1998 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (6/14/2014)
Nice, but still rather tight - this needed some half-an-hour in a decanter to really get going. It had a lovely nose, with flashes of spice amidst dark flowers, black cherries and wild berry notes, all patted down with a little earthiness. A deep, darkly attractive nose. In contrast, the palate held a lovely clear balance, with a brighter expressions of dark cherries and blueberries woven with fresh acidity and slightly prickly, but very fine tannins still holding the midpalate a firm, little grip. There was a little hint of the flowers and spice picked up on the nose, but these were buried quite deeply in the finish alongside nice mineral shades. A very solid wine, with a nice depth and breadth to it, but it still seemed a little stingy at points. Part of it is probably a characteristic of the 1998 vintage, but it has possibly more to do with Lafarge’s more backward style. I do think that this will open up very nicely given another 4-5 years. (92 pts.)
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