The parcels that inform the Lafarge 2005 Cote de Beaune-Villages are situated in Meursault. Tart, refreshing sour cherry and red currant fruit accented by cherry pit bitterness with chalky mineral manifestations make for an unusually bright, treble performance, particularly by the standards of this vintage. This is long-lined and penetrating. Those attracted by the notion of a Riesling-like, bracing expression of fruit acidity and minerality in their Pinot will like it more than my score suggests, while others may consider both that notion and my score deeply deviant.
The entire Lafarge collection was predictably still in barrel when I visited in February, with even the generic cuvees due for assembly only in March. Speaking of generic bottlings, I don’t know of another domaine that has three of them, and I certainly doubt that there is one with three routinely worthy of attention even by those with the disposable income to afford premier crus.
A Becky Wassserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet, Beaune; fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70