DOMAINE MICHEL LAFARGE VOLNAY 1ER CRU 'CLOS DES CHENES' 2022

Domaine Michel Lafarge, led by Frédéric Lafarge and now joined by daughter Clothilde, stands as a Côte de Beaune benchmark. This pioneering biodynamic estate (Demeter certified since 2000) embraces traditional methods like hand destemming and muscle-powered basket pressing. These ancestral techniques yield wines with exceptional clarity, acidity and minerality. Their modest holdings allow flexibility to harvest at perfect ripeness, crucial during Burgundy's increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.

The Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes comes from a strategically positioned 0.90-hectare parcel of 50-70 year old vines at the intersection of four premier cru vineyards. Located in the northeast corner with southeast exposure, these vines thrive in shallow, iron-rich red clay soils that Frédéric only works to a depth of 5-10cm. After indigenous fermentation and 18 months aging, this unfiltered wine delivers spicy aromas of purple fruit, wet stone, and floral notes. The palate shows impressive volume and power with pronounced minerality and a persistent finish. As the tasting note suggests, this is "brawny in a Volnaysien way"—more gymnast than bodybuilder—with generous expression and excellent aging potential.