Domaine Comtes Lafon Volnay Santenots du Milieu 1er Cru 2013

Domaine des Comtes Lafon is one of Burgundy’s most revered domaines, best known for its benchmark white wines from Meursault — but in Volnay, it crafts some of the most soulful and understatedly powerful Pinot Noir in the Côte de Beaune. The Lafon family has farmed the Santenots du Milieu parcel biodynamically since the late 1990s, allowing this exceptional terroir to shine with purity and transparency.

Situated at the southern tip of Volnay, 'Santenots du Milieu' is often described as the most complete of the Santenots climats — a Premier Cru with the poise and depth to rival top wines from the Côte de Nuits. The vineyard's deep, iron-rich clay over limestone gives wines that are both structured and silken, with aromatic lift and mineral clarity.

The 2013 vintage is one of energy and precision, favoring winemakers who prize finesse over opulence. This wine opens with lifted notes of redcurrant, wild strawberry, and dried rose petal, layered with spice, tea leaf, and forest floor. The palate is tensile yet graceful — with fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, savory finish that echoes with stony minerality.

This is Volnay at its most expressive: elegant, composed, and deeply rooted in place. A wine that rewards time, reflection, and the quiet confidence of a domaine at the peak of its powers.