2016 Macon Vire-Clesse

The 2016 Viré-Clessé wafts from the glass with notes of musky peach and dried white flowers, framed by sublet reduction. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, tense and racy, with good depth at the core and an attractive sense of completeness. It will need some time in the cellar to unwind after bottling, but it's an elegant, vibrant interpretation of the appellation that ranks as one of Lafon's best cuvées this year.

The tradition here is to pick late, but he doesn’t. Includes some of a good clone of Muscat Chardonnay. Quite rich and vibrant on the nose. Great tension too. Chalky finish. (JR)

(from low-yielding east-facing 60-to-80-year-old vines planted on the mid-slope, with clay under a layer of limestone; done in one-third foudres and two-thirds demi-muids ): Bright lemon-yellow. Sexy mineral-driven aromas of lemon, lime and mint. Delivers an old-vines concentration to its subtly sweet, deep flavors of citrus fruits and minerals. Sappy, tactile and dry, with the extract to buffer its brisk acidity. But this long wine has the spine for a graceful evolution in bottle.