2020 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault "Desiree"

With the 2020 Meursault Désirée, the "young" vines here have attained their 25th year, and things are starting to get serious. Mingling notes of stone fruit and pear with hints of honeycomb, almonds and spices, the wine is medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, its textural attack segueing into a layered, gourmand mid-palate, before concluding with a saline finish. Dominique Lafon celebrated his official retirement in December 2021, after 37 years at the domaine, and is handing over the reins to daughter Léa and nephew Pierre, even if he will surely still be on hand to help the new generation for many years to come. He can reflect with satisfaction on an important career, as the first generation of the Lafon family to become a farmer and grow the grapes he vinified and as one of his generation's leading pioneers of organic farming. And he can certainly be satisfied with the 2020 vintage, a terrific success at this address. As the accompanying notes attest, I was very impressed, and special mention is owing to the best set of red wines I can remember tasting here. (WK)