2018 Dominique Lafon Beaune Les Epenottes

Dominique Lafon is managing director of Domaine des Comtes Lafon, one of Burgundy’s most distinguished estates. But since 2008 Dominique has also been producing very limited production wines under his own label. Though his company is officially a negociant, most of the Dominique Lafon wines are domaine bottlings from vineyards owned or leased by Domaine des Comtes Lafon. Dominique Lafon offers Premier Cru and village whites from Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, and Premier and village reds from Volnay. Vinous has noted that Dominque Lafon’s style with his own label is “a little bit more laid back and restrained” in comparison to the traditional style of Comtes Lafon. Vinous added that Dominique’s “first vintages are quite promising.”

Beaune is the heart, soul and capital of Burgundy. A walled, medieval city of ancient buildings and cobble-stoned streets, Beaune is home to the annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction, a charity auction dating to the 15th century. Beaune has always been a natural crossroads, and it was a commercial center as far back as the Roman era. Today Beaune is home to many of Burgundy’s most famous negociants, including Drouhin, Jadot, Latour and Bouchard Pere et Fils. The Beaune appellation includes 1,620 acres of vineyards, of which 95% are planted to Pinot Noir, with the remainder to Chardonnay. Although there are no Grands Crus, there are 44 Premier Cru vineyards which account for nearly half the appellation’s vineyard acreage. The best vineyards are on the upper slopes around the town, and Beaune is especially known for its “clos,” or small, walled vineyards that are often parcels of larger vineyards. There are also Beaune village wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that the primary traits of Beaune reds in the best vintages are “an intense bouquet of berry fruit, principally black cherries and strawberries. The wines are rarely massive or large scaled, relying more on their smooth, silky, berry fruitiness and harmony to seduce…”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.