2019 Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Monthelie Premier Cru, Les Duresses

The 2019 Monthélie Les Duresses offers crisp raspberry and red cherry scents on the nose, which is well defined and floral in style. The palate is fresh on the entry, and quite fleshy for a Monthélie, with a brisk, uncomplicated finish. Fine.

Notes of sweet berry fruit, raw cocoa and loamy soil introduce the 2019 Monthélie Les Duresses, a medium-bodied, beautifully refined red with a lively core of fruit that's framed by powdery, ultra-refined tannins. This has turned out especially well.

1 ha. Relatively young vines (Dominique planted mostly in 1986). The vineyard faces east and is quite cold and late ripening so is always the last to be picked. Cask sample; will go into tank in December and bottle in February 2021. Lighter red than usual, apparently. Bitter-cherry fruit on the nose, bright and slightly tart on the end. Round tannins. (JR)