2017 Domaine Lafouge Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru La Chapelle

Wateford Wine & Spirits Notes:

Auxey-Duresses is on the rise and here is an under the radar producer making great Preimer Cru wine that competes with Premier Crus from any other appellation.

Critical Acclaim:

“One of my favorite insider domaines in Burgundy, Domaine Jean et Gilles Lafouge produces a range of impressively consistent and compelling wines. Old vines, cultivated soils and classical winemaking are the rudiments of Gilles Lafouge’s recipe for success. The clean and organized cuverie and cellar immediately communicate a sense of dedication and attention to detail that comes across just as strongly in the glass.

This estate is a source of superb Meursault and Pommard, but don’t neglect the range of Auxey-Duresses red and white, wines that demonstrate what these terroirs can deliver when given the same treatment as more glamorous appellations.

That these wines age beautifully, I can personally testify, having enjoyed a lovely 1969 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru La Chapelle last summer—an unexpected but happy encounter on a local wine list.”

“93+ points. The finest of Lafouge’s reds this year is the 2017 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru La Chapelle, a lovely rendition of this emblematic bottling that wafts from the glass with aromas of smoky cassis, plums, cocoa nib, rose petals and candied peel. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, supple and layered, with good concentration at the deep and layered core, velvety structuring tannins and ripe acids. Combining the elegance of Lafouge’s Duresses with the structure of his Climat du Val, the La Chapelle is the more serious and complete wine in the cellar.”