TN: Twelve Vintages of Lafon Montrachet

TWELVE VINTAGES OF LAFON MONTRACHET - (10/6/2023)

We had an exceptional dinner Friday, which I organized to taste through and contrast the recent decade of Lafon Montrachet. We added 2000 and 2005 to make it an even dozen.
I'm an unabashed fan of all things Lafon, and own and buy their whites across vintages and across the lineup. And over the last ten to fifteen years this impressive lineup has continued to improve, going from one level of greatness to another. At the top of that mountain is the sublime Lafon Montrachet. Lafon's Montrachet is my favorite wine, and thus this dinner was truly 100 points.

  • 1988 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne
    A stunning mag of Krug, that was perfect in every respect. Literally perfect. Served pre and post a five hour dinner and if anything improved during that time.
  • 2000 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    The first bottle of our twelve vintages of Lafon Montrachet. Very, very good and amazingly fresh. No oxidation, its development was age appropriate. Good provenance bottles of this vintage will likely be ageless.
  • 2005 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    Slightly advanced, but not in a premox sense. A good wine, but not a vintage that reflects the markets initial optimism of fifteen years ago.
  • 2010 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    Utterly perfect and a complete wine. Like tonight's mag of 88 Krug, it's hard to imagine how this could be more impressive.
  • 2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    A fantastic bottle, with excellent structure and balance. Fun having it next to the sublime 2010, and it fully held its own. A class act.
  • 2012 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    Like many 2012's, this was delicious. Not mind-blowing like some of the vintages tonight, and less sophisticated.
  • 2013 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    Very good, and standalone would have garnered accolades. But in a group of Lafon Montrachet, this was "only good".
  • 2014 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    This vintage is consistently sublime, and tonight's bottle was no exception. It explodes on the palate. Fantastic now, with an endless life ahead of it. My #2 of the night.
  • 2015 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    I thought this was fantastic, and a much better bottle than one six months ago. I'm a huge fan of 2015 whites, and tonight's bottle no exception. Lot's of oak and matchstick that some couldn't fully look past.
  • 2016 L’Exceptionnelle Vendange des 7 Domaines’ Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    What a treat to include this in our dinner. Due to hail in 2016, seven owners combined their harvest to produce two barrels of Montrachet. The nose of the night, and this bottle was brilliant. I like (vs. love) 2016 whites in general, but this outperformed the vintage, was intoxicating, and kept drawing me back.
  • 2017 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    As expected, this was fantastic. I've said it before, but it's hard to overstate how great this vintage of Lafon Montrachet is and will be. With age and maturity, let's hope it's as complete as the 2010.
  • 2018 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    I'm a huge fan of the 2018 Lafon Montrachet, and this was a great bottle. Flighted with the 2016, 2017, and 2019 it held its own. I sense burgundy collectors (particularly in the US) underestimate this vintage across the board.
  • 2019 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    A fantastic bottle. We've had this three times this year, and it consistently impresses the table. A great vintage.

Note's on our menu and the reds will follow tomorrow.
DRC La Tache 1993, 2009, 2010.
Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze 1999, 2001, 2002.

Posted from CellarTracker

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Picture of the group. What a great set of bottles to share together!

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Thanks Brad. Fantastic lineup and I’m glad they showed so well. Special stuff. Thanks for sharing.

Love the Cheshire Cat grins! I’d be smiling too…

Question for Brad:

What is it about Lafon Monty that puts it at pinnacle above all other wines?

Ramonet Montrachet is probably the best white wine I’ve ever had …

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Really nice!

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It’s emotional rather than objective - like music or relationships. Lafon simply speaks to me.

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Wow. Impressive lineup, and almost as impressed by the sheer number of glasses in that dining room! Looks like a night to remember.

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Wonderful line-up Brad.

I remember seeing the barrel of 2016 L’Exceptionnelle Vendange des 7 Domaines’ Montrachet sitting at Domaine Leflaive where it was being raised in around 2017. We couldn’t convince them to give us a taste.

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A lineup for the ages! Thanks for the notes from another Lafon admirer.

Brad,
You note 2014 as your #2 of the night; May I assume 2010 was #1?

Yes.

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Simply amazing. Bravo and thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the TNs and the picture.

2006 Lafon Montrachet was my best white wine I ever had…

Wow, just, wow–and, yes, jealous :slight_smile: But, really, thanks much for posting. I love hearing about these wines at the pinnacle? Any favorites lower down Lafon’s line-up? I assume, it’s not just Monty 24/7 for you?

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Thanks Brad, that’s one incredible line up. Some very generous collectors.
Looking forward to the notes on the reds.




Sooooo beautiful!!! :star_struck:

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A man of few words.

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Well done boys! Sad to have missed this one for sure!

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Genevrieres, Perrieres, Porusots and Charmes get a lot of love.

In my next life, I am definitely coming back either as Brad or as Brad’s son.

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