2016 Monthelie Les Duresses

(Lafon made just eight barrels from more than a hectare of vines): Deep red. Dark red fruits and a hint of milk chocolate on the nose. Concentrated and youthfully tight, showing a restrained sweetness to its dark berry, menthol and violet flavors. Lafon believes that this wine will be drinkable early owing to its smoothness (it's normally best suited to near-term consumption) but it also has the verve for a graceful evolution in bottle.

There are eight barrels of the 2016 Monthelie les Duresses this year. Tasted directly from stainless steel vat, fragrant crushed strawberry and red cherry fruit waft from the nose while the palate is fleshy and quite plump with a fine bead of acidity on the tart finish. There is often something straightforward and nonchalant about Dominique's Monthélie, and that is precisely what I like about it.

Usually 20+ barrels but they made just eight in 2016 due to frost. Relatively young vines. The vineyard faces east and is late ripening so is always the last to be picked. Will probably bottle in January 2018. Fruity but firm with a lightly mineral undertow. Quite marked acidity. Fairly chewy. A little bitter on the end. (JR)