Domaine Michel Lafarge: Tasting three decades of Clos des Chênes

A fine Clos du Château des Ducs which radiates a medium ruby core and notes of dried cherries, grilled meat and layers of forest floor and spice. The texture embodies a silkiness, almost like milk chocolate, for which Clos du Château des Ducs is known. This is due in part to its warmer microclimate and hence it is generally the first of their Pinot vineyards to be harvested. A bright, energetic wine that is drinking well and should continue to hold for multiple years to come.

A more evolved wine than the 1988 with deep garnet red reflections and notes of forest floor, fresh earth, dried fruits and leather. Its firm structure, plump fruit core, subdued acidity and high toned nuances reflect this vintage’s warm and dry growing conditions, though its minerality gives it lift in the mid-palate. This is a wine at full maturity which is drinking well now and could easily accompany a number of dishes such as the local Coq au Vin.

From the widely acclaimed and well-endowed 1990 vintage, this nicely pitched ruby-garnet wine is ample and layered with dried tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, crushed earth and tamari soy sauce. There is notable weight and power here, with a tightly wound mineral core and a bold finish. The flavours are more evolved than its structure, suggesting that the two may continue to diverge. So while this makes a highly appealing wine now, it might not age so gracefully in future.

An aged garnet colour leads to an equally evolved nose that focuses on raisins, dried cherries, spice and leather. In the past 10 years, I have had much more youthful examples that clearly exhibited the vintage’s well-endowed concentration but also much fresher fruit, making this bottle difficult to judge. Though its power and muscle are still present, the palate teeters towards dullness and one dimensionality.

A flavoursome Clos des Chênes that exudes tertiary notes of forest floor, bramble compote and spice. Its smooth palate appears appealingly silky at first only to then turn inwards toward a tightly-wound, chalky core of tannins. Despite its fine, but grippy texture, it remains balanced and appealing. Though ready now, this still should keep well for a good number of years to come. A fine example from an uneven vintage in terms of quality.

An admirable 1990, which has aged well for this richer, dense vintage. It displays a vibrant ruby-garnet core and a gentle, lifted and layered nose. Its notes of crushed autumnal leaves, cooked bramble fruits, wintergreen berries and spice lead to a refined, but ample core and structure. Despite its noticeable weight and ripeness, it remains elegant and fresh. An iron fist in a silk glove. With its notably long finish, this wine will easily cellar well into the future.

The 1993 vintage was one of the most challenging in the last 30 years and despite many collectors seeking out its best bottles, a number of them remain muscular, blocky and 'backwards' (not evolving much). Whilst the Lafarge’s Clos des Chênes embodies the vintage’s firm, taut touch, it also dishes up an appealing palate of forest floor, dried fruits and spice. Like many other 93s, this will require at least a few more years of patience.

Highly representative of the vintage which favoured a leaner, tightly wound and acid-driven style, the 1996 displays a deep garnet core and a lifted nose of 'cooler' fruits – red currants, cranberry and spice. Despite its age, there are no noticeable tertiary flavours so the palate remains somewhat simplified. Finishing fairly taut with a fine, chalky texture, this wine would benefit from decanting or food to help give it more dimension and depth.

A healthy colour of deep ruby-garnet leads the way to a slightly 'dirty' nose on this bottle, most likely from an unclean cork. Nonetheless, there was enough substance underneath to get an impression of the wine. Notes of leather, toasted spice and forest floor flesh out its medium-plus bodied core. Its firm tannic structure, though somewhat rounded through time, typifies the 1998 vintage. Ready now but can easily hold for at least another 15 years.

The 1999 vintage is one of the greats from the last 25 years and Lafarge’s Clos des Chênes does not disappoint. Full of presence and power, its youthful and vibrant nose leads to a bold but fine-tuned palate, focusing on succulent red berries, spice, cedar and fresh earth. Finishes salty and lifted. This tightly wound wine needs at least five if not 10 more years in the cellar. But the wait will be worth it.

From 2000 and on, the domaine became 100% biodynamic and Frédéric Lafarge believes their wines took on a more balanced feel. True to the approachable sumptuousness of the vintage, the 2000 Clos des Chênes opens with an alluring nose of truffle, fresh earth and a touch of dried cherries and finishes fresh and salty. Quite moreish even if it lacks the density of some other vintages. An enjoyable 2000 that keeps in with the style of the domaine.

The 2001 was an underrated vintage for the region and though it was stronger in the Côte de Nuits, quality producers in the Côte de Beaune still produced fine, chiselled and characterful reds, despite some hail. The 2001 Clos des Chênes exudes an appealing blend of youth and gentle evolution, revealing aromatic and lacy notes of celery seed, sweet leather and bramble compote. Its core remains delineated and focused and leads to a lingering finish.

Red Burgundies from 2002 are some of the best examples of a balanced style – fresh and lifted paired with solid fruit cores, layers and length. The 2002 Clos des Chênes is true to the vintage offering a succulent fruit core equalised by savoury and spicy characters. Notably dense but not at all heavy, there is a distinct confidence to this wine, making it even more appealing. Despite its chalky, firm texture, it remains sleek. A true beauty...which needs a bit more slumber.

Described by Frédéric Lafarge as 'a year of creativity' due to the extraordinarily intense heat and dryness. The skins were only macerated for 10 days (usually 14-18) and only gentle pumpovers were used. Though the 2003 Clos des Chênes displays the vintage’s richness with an ample palate of dried fruits, flowers, mushrooms and leather, there is still an appealing freshness and a mineral lift. Its firm, silty tannins would pair well with cheese.

The 2005 vintage is one of the greatest in the last 50 years, known for its notable fruit, density and power. Many will need years of cellaring before they reveal their true selves. This also rings true for the 2005 Clos des Chênes. Displaying a youthful core of red and black bramble fruits, spice and sandalwood, its palate is tightly wound and blanketed by firm but polished tannins. Despite its heavyweight stature, it remains balanced and fresh.

A deep ruby-garnet core leads to a slightly evolved nose of dried tomatoes, shiitake mushroom and crushed autumnal leaves. Its firm, slightly jagged tannins, however, remain firmly in place, creating a moderately awkward feel at present (which is typical for many 2006s). While this wine does not have the succulence or refinement of other vintages, the flavours are still appealing. Nonetheless, it is a wine which could benefit from more time in the cellar to balance out the bumps.

The grapes for this wine were harvested on 31 August, making this one of the most precocious vintages in the last 50 years. Like many (though not all) earlier harvests, the wine produced is juicy, open and fresh. This certainly reflects the 2007 Clos des Chênes as well, though the vineyard’s renowned minerality appears mid-flight leading to a mildly chalky, drying finish. A poised, lighter styled wine that would delight the drinker now so no patience is required.

A classic vintage through and through, the 2008 remains tight on the nose but quietly open on the palate with red plums, cherry and black pepper. Taut, vibrant and svelte, this is a wine that does not yet want to give its secrets away. But fortunately, it keeps the taster guessing and intrigued. It finishes with a firm, slightly austere finish which should round out within the next 6-8 years.

Deep and expressive, the 2009 offers a ying-yang balance of flesh and finesse with structure and power. It is in the midst of transformation, moving from primary and secondary notes into alluring flavours of forest floor and game. Despite embodying the ample personality of the vintage, its terroir clearly shows through which cannot be said of all wines from 2009. Approachable now, but it would really benefit from another 10 years in the cellar.

The 2011 Clos des Chênes from Lafarge is in the midst of transformation. On one hand, there is an alluring earthiness of autumn leaves and mushrooms paired with sweet dried fruits while, on the other, the palate’s structure is still tightly wound and its tannins still feel chewy and taut. A few more years in the cellar should smooth out its texture and merge the flavours more seamlessly. A wine to watch.