Cooked cherry, cassis, and espresso on the nose of Lafon’s 2007 Volnay Clos des Chenes lead to a palate whose bark- or leather-like tannins are reinforced by peppery, gingery pungency. This boasts impressive grip and may well be worth following for 4-6 years, but it needs serving in contexts where its tannin will prove advantageous. Dominique Lafon’s vineyards were hit hard by the July, 2008 hail, with his largest site – Santenots du Milieu – worst hit, and reduced in production by two-thirds, all of which he bottled together, rather than (as more usually) declassifying the young vines portion to village Volnay. Crop loss was due to dehydration as well, a factor compounded by late harvest. (“But before October,” relates Lafon, “the fruit simply was not ripe.”) Lafon’s chagrin – coming on the heels of two challenging vintages for Pinot – was more than assuaged, though, by the superb quality of his Meursaults in both 2007 and 2008 (on which I shall report soon in these pages). A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet (various importers), fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70; A Daniel Johnnes Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY, tel. (516) 677 9300; Classic Wine Imports, Norwood, MA, tel. (781) 352 1100; Beaune Imports, Berkeley, CA, tel. (510) 559 1040

Rich, soft and gentle, with light tannins, ripe fruit and a pronounced freshness, touched with black cherry. This is not for long-term aging, but it’s worth waiting for 2–3 years.——R.V.(12/31/2010)—— 93