2020 Mâcon & Côte Chalonnaise

In spite of a decent sized harvest in 2020 in the region, because of the extremely small vintages either side of it, this wine’s astonishing value and huge popularity mean that only a small amount of the 2020 will be released en primeur, so you’ll need to move quickly to secure some. It comes from three parcels, two of which come from the limestone soils near the distinctive Solutré rock, and the third from a richer clay site near Pouilly. It has been vinified in stainless steel only and has great freshness and lovely balance in 2020.

This parcel of young vines (around 15 years old) lies right next to Marcel’s house. He says it’s a wine to open and enjoy young. Given what good value it is you certainly can get stuck in. It has a bright and fruity character, with the vintage’s wonderful natural freshness.

This is the combination of three parcels in the south of the appellation from one lieu-dit. The vines are now over 75 years old on average, and the wine they make is one of the most juicy and delicious reds you can find at this level. It has a well-balanced body, and a long, fine finish.

This is the pinnacle of the Lafon wines in the Mâconnais, or as Dominique would put it, the ‘Porusots’ of the Mâcon domaine. That is to say: crystalline and pure, with a power, presence and precision you might expect from a much grander appellation in the Côte d'Or.

In the south of the Mâconnais, near the cellar, is this tiny south-facing plot. Its red clay soils and steep incline make wine with a heady concentration. The plot is so small (less than a quarter of a hectare) it only makes enough for one foudre, but Dominique and Caroline insist it merits being bottled on its own rather than blended into a larger cuvée because it is, simply, that good every year. 2020 shows the wine’s typical tension and very slight bitterness – it is straight, serious, savoury, less fruity and open than some others, and more demanding of attention by the drinker. It’s what Dominique calls the Genevrières of the Mâconnais.