DOMAINE MICHEL LAFARGE BEAUNE-GREVES 1ER CRU 2022

Domaine Michel Lafarge, led by Frédéric Lafarge and now joined by his daughter Clothilde, produces consistently exceptional wines in the Côte de Beaune. One of Burgundy's pioneering biodynamic estates (Demeter certified since 2000), their meticulous approach includes labor-intensive traditional methods like hand destemming and muscle-powered basket pressing. This dedication to ancestral techniques yields wines with remarkable clarity, acidity, and minerality. Their modest ten-hectare holding allows them the flexibility to harvest at perfect ripeness, especially crucial during increasingly unpredictable weather patterns that challenge Burgundy's vineyards.

The Beaune 1er Cru Grèves comes from a unique parcel in the northwest corner near the top of this expansive vineyard, situated within small protective walls that Frédéric notes help maintain vine health by preventing runoff. Planted in 1951 at approximately 260 meters elevation, these Pinot Noir vines thrive in moderately deep, gravelly soils with minimal clay content—true to the vineyard's name, which derives from the Latin "grava" meaning crumbly stone. Following indigenous yeast fermentation and 18 months aging, this unfiltered wine expresses the distinctive character of its east-facing slope and unique "cradle-like" position within the larger Grèves vineyard. The result is a wine of remarkable precision that beautifully reflects its distinctive terroir within one of Beaune's most renowned premier cru sites.