1989 Meursault Genevrieres

The 1989 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières ranks as one of the finest mature wines that I have tasted from Domaine des Comtes Lafon and to put that in context, juxtaposed here against their 1990 Montrachet, this wins hands down. It just exudes Meursault on the nose: grilled almond, walnut, a touch of sea spread and brioche just burst from the glass and shout “Let’s party!” The palate follows in similar style. This is a Meursault that wears its heart on its sleeve with exuberant walnut and hazelnut notes, brilliant focus and energy to spare on the tensile finish. It is Genevrières through and through. Wonderful. Tasted at the mature white Burgundy dinner in Hong Kong.

I felt Lafon's 1989 Meursault-Genevrieres was the most subtle and restrained of his 1989s. Completely closed when tasted in November, all of its potential and quality is evident at the back of the mouth, where there is an explosively long, rich, super-concentrated finish. While this is a beautiful Meursault, 4-5 years of cellaring is essential. Do not be surprised to see it evolve for 10-15 years. Meursault yields for the Comte Lafon in 1989 were a minuscule 25 hectoliters per hectare. In high yield years, the wines of the Comte Lafon are usually among the most concentrated in Burgundy. From this readers can extrapolate the kind of intensity levels one is dealing with in a vintage such as 1989. Dominique Lafon, who is now in complete charge in the cellars, has continued to move toward a more organic style of winemaking. He has eliminated all fertilizers except for manure, uses minimum amounts of sulphur, and bottles his Meursault unfiltered. If you have the requisite discretionary income, the Meursaults are must purchases. Importer: Classic Wines, Brookline, MA.