DOMAINE MICHEL LAFARGE VOLNAY 1ER CRU 'CLOS DU CHATEAU DES DUCS' MONOPOLE 2023

Frédéric Lafarge converted the domaine to biodynamics in the 1990s, earning Demeter certification by 2000 — a generational commitment now carried forward with his daughter Clothilde. Their Clos du Château des Ducs is a walled Monopole literally within the family garden in Volnay, sitting at 290 meters with southeast exposure; the walls trap heat, making it one of the estate's warmest sites and typically first to harvest. Brown clay over a 25-centimeter gravel layer provides structure and drainage. Vines planted between 1946 and 2000 ferment with indigenous yeasts, age 18 months in older barrels, and bottle unfiltered — delivering red currant, cherry, lavender, and a persistent mineral finish.