2020 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Santenots-du-Milieu Volnay

While Domaine des Comtes Lafon is world-renowned for its white Meursaults, Dominique Lafon’s red wines are equally legendary among serious Burgundy collectors. At the peak of his red portfolio sits the Premier Cru 'Santenots-du-Milieu' in Volnay—a site where Lafon owns nearly four hectares, making him the dominant and undisputed benchmark grower of this famous hillside.

Technically situated just over the border in Meursault but historically classified as Volnay Premier Cru for red grapes, Santenots-du-Milieu features deep, iron-rich reddish clay soils overlying hard limestone. The 2020 vintage yielded ripe, pristine Pinot Noir with remarkable concentration and vibrant acidity. Lafon destems the fruit, executes a gentle cold soak, and ages the wine in French oak casks (one-third new) to craft a red of immense elegance and structural power.

In the glass, it reveals a glowing ruby-purple core. Exotic aromas of dark cherry, cassis, crushed violets, rose petals, and subtle woodsmoke lift from the glass. The palate is deep and concentrated, balancing ripe plum and blackberry fruit with fine, structuring tannins and an energetic mineral drive that lingers on an endless, spice-tinged finish.