2015 Domaine des Comtes-Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre

BY NEAL MARTIN | NOVEMBER 09, 2020

Why is there a photo depicting mackerel in this Cellar Favorite? Well, let me explain. After a recent marathon three-hour tasting at the Domaine des Comtes-Lafon, Dominique Lafon was itching to open an older bottle and invited me to choose wine and vintage. “You choose,” I said, resisting temptation to suggest a 20-year vertical of Montrachet versus Les Perrières. Lafon disappeared into the inner sanctum of his winery and returned clutching a label-less 2015 Meursault Clos de la Barre that he feels deserves a little more respect. Having tasted the wine, he rued that his dinner was chicken and it would not match. He asked what I was planning to eat back at my rented apartment. Alas, I am no Eric Guido in the kitchen so it was just pan-fried mackerel and salad from the excellent Grand Frais supermarket.  “Perfect. You finish it off,” he said and thrust the bottle into my hand. This gave me the chance to pour a glass with my poisson and monitor its evolution over the following week. In fact, the wine actually improved day by day and, as I soon discovered, married even better with sea bream. 

Silvery in hue it has a typical Comtes-Lafon bouquet with scents of white peach, shaved almonds and subtle grilled hazelnut scents that become more prominent over the following days. The palate is beautifully balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite dense in style, especially for what is a Village Cru. It is a mouth-filling, slightly creamy textured Meursault with gorgeous nectarine and orange pith notes. Maybe it just misses the tension and minerality that a Charmes of Les Perrières might offer, yet in simple terms, it is absolutely delicious and attests the quality of the 2015 vintage for whites and of Clos de la Barre. 92/Drink 2020-2035.