1995 Meursault

Generally, Lafon blends declassified 1er Crus into his village Meursault. In 1995 the yields were so low and the quality of fruit so high that he decided against it. Revealing a deep nutty nose filled with roasted peaches and toasted notes, this medium-bodied wine will be delicious upon release and will drink well for at least 6 years. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. Ratings with a range of scores in parentheses indicate the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Dominique Lafon, who has run this estate on his own since 1987, feels his '95s are the best set of wines he's made to date. I would ignore this kind of statement from most growers in Burgundy as they are often given to hyperbole, but Lafon walks the walk in addition to talking the talk. His reputation is such that his wines sell-out instantaneously irrespective of what critics might write. Secondly, he's not the type of man who would risk his credibility, nor is he given to immodest boasting. His '95s are outstanding wines that may have better structure than those from previous vintages, and, therefore, may age and evolve more gracefully. He has produced fatter, lusher wines in the past (the '89s for example), but, in general, cellaring hasn't improved them. I believe the '95 will be different. Importer: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644.