Domaine des Comtes Lafon   Meursault Goutte dOr

2009 Meursault Goutte d'Or

By Domaine des Comtes Lafon

2007 Batard-Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive, Burgundy, France

The 2007 vintage in Burgundy was one festooned with challenge and caprice, lending its wines a uniquely beguiling character. The 2007 Batard-Montrachet from the venerable Domaine Leflaive is no exception, standing as a testament to the tenacity and skill of this lauded producer. This vintage graced enthusiasts with sublime instances of wine craft unfolding amidst a backdrop of early frosts and an unanticipated warm spring.

 

A Harmonious Encounter of Terroir and Technique

In the glass, this 2007 Batard-Montrachet manifests a seductive golden hue, a foretaste of the richness that unfurls on the palate. A year like '07, which teetered on the edge between freshness and concentration, brought forth a stunning tension within this Chardonnay—an entwining of mineral-driven coolness with ripe stone fruits that speak of an early harvest but full maturity.

 

Climatic Surprises Moulding a Unique Vintage

The unpredictable weather patterns of the year resulted in a wine marked by juxtaposition: an impressive intensity allied with remarkable finesse. Expressing notes of honeyed pear, toasted nuts, and lemon zest, it sought to dazzle the olfactory senses with luxuriant complexity. And yet, on the palate, one finds that the piercing acidity ensures longevity—a crucial component for fine wine investors hopeful of emboldening their cellar's worth with time's passage.

Ensconced amongst Domaine Leflaive's legendary holdings, this parcel of Batard-Montrachet has yielded a wine that is both an extraordinary snapshot of 2007's peculiar conditions and a luminary for those who invest in liquid art. The delicate handling by biodynamic methods further amplifies this offering's allure, as it does not merely reflect its birth year but resoundingly rises above it.

 

Investment Worthiness: Captivating Connoisseurs

As it stands today, I regard the 2007 Batard-Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive as one poised gracefully on the apex of maturity, unfurling upon decanting to reveal layers once coyly ensconced within its youthful structure. With each passing year, its enthralling complexity burgeons; hence its desirability as an investment grows. What remains clear is that this particular alchemy—of season's whimsy and winemaker's wisdom—has wrought a vinous treasure enticingly positioned for both connoisseurs and collectors alike.

Market price (USD)

$6,810.00

12x75cl

Highest score

90

POP score

558

Scores and tasting notes

89-91

The 2009 Meursault Goutte d'Or is clean, precise and beautifully focused. It shows lovely mid-palate pliancy in a slightly rounder, softer style than the Clos de la Barre. Ripe pears and white flowers linger on the energetic, saline finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. Dominique Lafon's 2009s are just as stunning from bottle as they were when I tasted them in cask earlier this year. Lafon is one of the most thoughtful growers in Burgundy. Along with a group of his colleagues, Lafon is among the producers who has basically re-examined every aspect of the way he makes wine in response to the problem of premature oxidation. today's wines spend more time on their lees, but that is just one of many changes that have taken place here over the last few years. Except as noted, I tasted the 2009s from bottle. The 2009 Charmes, Perrieres and Montrachet were bottled in May, 2011. I also tasted all of the 2010s from barrel. The Meursault, Clos de la Barre and Goutte d-Or weren't showing well, while the Meursault premier crus and the Montrachet were all sublime. A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

Antonio Galloni - The Wine Advocate, 30 August 2011

Vintage performance