Michel and Frederic Lafarge told me that they spend as much time and effort on their two generic bottlings as on the village and premier crus - and it shows! When asked by a friend to assist him in putting together a great Burgundy cellar, Dominique Lafon of the Domaine des Contes Lafon headed straight for the Lafarge estate to purchase the Bourgogne as it is consistently one of the finest generic burgundies produced. Ruby-colored and displaying deep, sweet cherry aromatics, it is a gorgeously ripe, defined, medium-bodied, chewy wine with succulent and luscious spicy red fruits and a supple finish. This is an excellent value and should be drunk between now and 2000.As always, ratings with a score in parentheses indicate the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle.A Becky Wasserman Selection, French Fax # 011-33-3-80-24-29-70, various American importers, including Esquin Imports, San Francisco, CA; tel (415) 398-1200, Martin-Scott, Lake Success, NY; tel (516) 327-0808.