1995 Meursault Clos de la Barre

Lafon says that wine lovers who visit him either love the Meursault Desiree or the Meursault Clos de la Barre, but never both. The latter wine has an unyielding nose, but explosive flavors of hazelnuts and minerals. This forward, full-bodied wine with good length should be drunk between 2000 and 2008. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. Ratings with a range of scores in parentheses indicate the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Dominique Lafon, who has run this estate on his own since 1987, feels his '95s are the best set of wines he's made to date. I would ignore this kind of statement from most growers in Burgundy as they are often given to hyperbole, but Lafon walks the walk in addition to talking the talk. His reputation is such that his wines sell-out instantaneously irrespective of what critics might write. Secondly, he's not the type of man who would risk his credibility, nor is he given to immodest boasting. His '95s are outstanding wines that may have better structure than those from previous vintages, and, therefore, may age and evolve more gracefully. He has produced fatter, lusher wines in the past (the '89s for example), but, in general, cellaring hasn't improved them. I believe the '95 will be different. Importer: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644.

Lafon says that wine lovers who visit him either love the Meursault Desiree or the Meursault Clos de la Barre, but never both. The latter wine has an unyielding nose, but explosive flavors of hazelnuts and minerals. This forward, full-bodied wine with good length should be drunk between 2000 and 2008. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. Ratings with a range of scores in parentheses indicate the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Apr 1997, www.robertparker.com