Domaine des Comtes Lafon
History
The Domaine dates back to the mid-1800s, when the Boch family built the house and cellar at Clos de la Barre. After Comte Jules Lafon married Mlle Marie Boch, he began acquiring prime vineyard plots in Meursault, Volnay, and Le Montrachet, establishing the foundation for the estate’s prestige. Then there was a period of uncertainty following Jules’ passing, his grandson René stepped up and worked to preserve the vineyards, and his son Dominique, taking control in the early 1980s, revitalized the estate. Dominique ended sharecropping agreements and expanded the family holdings, cementing the estate’s position as one of Burgundy’s finest producers. Known for exceptional whites from Meursault, the estate also produces top-tier reds from Volnay and Monthélie. Dominique has also expanded with the Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon label and his personal label, Dominique Lafon.
Farming and Philosophy
Dominique Lafon was an early adopter of organic and biodynamic practices, converting the estate’s vineyards to organic farming in 1995 and fully transitioning to biodynamics in 1998. The vineyards are still farmed biodynamically, with all work and harvest done by hand. Vinification is straightforward, with each plot treated individually. Whites are typically whole-bunch pressed and fermented in temperature-controlled tanks, with oak usage varying: village wines age in used oak, Premier Cru wines in 50-70% new oak, and Le Montrachet in 100% new oak for the first winter. Red wines are destemmed, undergo pre-fermentation maceration, and are aged for 18 months in 30% new oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered.
