2001 Domaine des Comtés Lafon Meursault Charmes 1er Cru

The spectacular 2001 Meursault-Charmes reveals a boisterous nose of cloves, pears, spices, and white peaches. Hugely expansive, powerful, chewy-textured, and supple, this velvety wine slathers the palate with white pepper-laced apple compote whose flavors linger in its 45 second finish. Drink this beauty over the next 8 years. Dominique Lafon is on fire, in a zone, on top of his game. He’s never made better wines, and he improves with each passing vintage. Importers: Various including Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel: (617) 731-6644; Daniel Johnnes/Jeroboam Wines, New York, NY; (212) 625-2505; and Beaune Imports

(Lafon prepared an approximate sample of the final blend, two-thirds of which was from old vines and one-third from younger; aging in 70% new oak, versus just 33% for the Genevrieres) Aromas of lemon, apple blossom and sweet, vanillin oak. Smooth, fat and spicy on entry and in the middle palate, then adamantly dry and firm on the end. (Lafon notes that his Charmes was the lowest in residual sugar of all his Meursaults in 2000, and even drier than this 2001.) A very good showing.