Domaine Comte de Vogue   Bourgogne Blanc

2012 Bourgogne Blanc

By Domaine Comte de Vogue

2012 Meursault les Perrieres from Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Burgundy

The patchwork of vineyards in Burgundy is a tapestry of intimate terroirs, each with its distinctive charm. Amidst this constellation, the 2012 Meursault les Perrieres from Domaine des Comtes Lafon emerges as a gem of nuanced complexity and mineral verve.

 

Precise Elegance in a Challenging Vintage

The narrative of 2012 across Burgundy was one etched with climatic challenges; with growers combatting uneven flowering and a smaller yield, perseverance was key. Yet, Domaine des Comtes Lafon transcended these adversities, nurturing a wine that articulates the resilience of Meursault's revered limestone soils.

On the nose, this vintage greets you with a coiled bouquet of citrus zest and almond cream. As it unfolds on the palate, there's an enthralling dance between ripe stone fruits and a fierce chalky minerality. The hallmark elegance persists through to a finish that savours of finesse wrapped in reverberating energy.

 

An Exemplar for Fine Wine Investment

The 2012 Meursault les Perrieres from Domaine des Comtes Lafon does not merely sing; it resonates with the depth of its vintage’s character. Its poised balance between expressive fruit and steely acidity makes it a coveted choice for the discerning investor attuned to Burgundy's nuanced expressions.

 

Summary: A Terroir-Driven Triumph

Investing in the 2012 vintage from Domaine des Comtes Lafon promises an odyssey into Meursault’s pedigree. The wine epitomises elegance even when faced with nature's whims. It rewards those who appreciate both its current vivacity and potential for graceful ageing, making it an astute addition to any collector’s portfolio seeking representation from an illustrious Burgundian year.

Current market price

$12,580.00

12x75cl

Highest score

92

POP score

630

Scores and tasting notes

91-93

The 2012 Bourgogne Blanc has been produced since 1994 from the young vines that were planted in the grand cru, planted between 1986 and 1997. Taken from cask, which had just been racked, it has a gras bouquet with scents of honeysuckle, custard creams and spices. It is well defined and very complex. The palate is very intense with lemongrass and shaved ginger on the entry. It immediately reminds me of a fine white Chateauneuf-du-Pape with an exuberant, pithy, spicy finish that you will not forget in a hurry. When I reviewed de Vogue’s 2011s six months ago, I tempered my praise for this historical estate’s wines, confessing that I fail to connect with them, to engage with their personalities and form the same bond as I have fostered with say, Armand Rousseau or Denis Bachelet. That is one of the fundamentals of Burgundy: the connection between personalities of drinker and grower. I guess it had just never “clicked”. However, their 2012s are probably the first new-born de Vogue’s where I found that connection. That is not to say that they might turn out to be superior to any vintage ever produced at the estate, but this time I departed asking myself that prosaic question: “Are these wines that I would choose at a restaurant?” I answered to myself, “Most definitely – yes.” As usual I met with winemaker Francois Millet, who was in philosophical form, discussing the “innocence” of the 2012s, an analogy that flew way over my head. So let’s get down to some facts “We had a lot of millerandage,” he began. “The flowering was terrible but from 10 August until 22 September when the harvest began, we had much better conditions. We lost 5-10% (of the crop) due to hail and suffered some sunburn because the vines were used to the cold conditions, which damaged another 5-10%. During that favorable window we managed to catch up the maturity and there was no grey rot. Bunches were very healthy and we just needed to sort relatively little. The rendement was even less than last year’s, something between 15 and 20 hectoliters per hectare.” I enquired about the vinification of the 2012s and what approach he had taken. “I was very cautious with the Chambolle Amoureuses and Musigny, not to extract a vegetal element from outside influences. It was important to be very cautious. The malo-lactics were very slow – maybe because the yeast produced something that can be stressful for the bacterium. But they finished in August.” Francois compares the 2012s with more mineral-driven vintages, which he named as 2008, 2010 and 2011. “There is mineralite and freshness?like a bonbon,” he continued. “When you bite into it you get a contrast of flavors. You have the joy of living with this vintage: innocence and candor. Behind this innocence is a sense of reserve, which is good for the future. There is something serious about the vintage.” For me, there was a lightness of touch that I really appreciated about the wines – the 2012s seemed less “earnest” than previous vintages, less eager to please but their concentration and structure, much more refined and transparent and as a consequence they expressed their respective terroirs with clarity, unobscured by effort. I also tasted the Bourgogne Blanc, which for some curious reason I had never tasted before (although just 48 hours later I was drinking some Musigny Blanc whose notes will soon appear in “Up From the Cellar”.) For the first time I can remember, Francois intimated that the white wine will finally be worthy of grand cru status in 4 or 5 years’ time not that the vines are over 20 years old. Importer: A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C’Est Vin, District of Columbia; tel. (703) 243-3559; Dreyfus Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770. Also available through agents Corney & Barrow in the UK.

Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 29 December 2013

Vintage performance