{"product_id":"domaine-michel-lafarge-beaune-1er-cru-blanc-clos-des-aigrots-2023","title":"Domaine Michel Lafarge Beaune 1er Cru Blanc Clos des Aigrots 2023","description":"\u003ch3\u003eThe Land\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Clos des Aigrots lies on the southern edge of Beaune's premier cru belt, adjacent to the more famous Clos des Mouches. Lafarge holds one hectare in the Clos des Aigrots, planted one-quarter to Chardonnay at the upper section of the parcel — the highest elevation ground, closest to Clos des Mouches — and three-quarters to Pinot Noir below. The red clay soils here differ from the limestone-dominant ground of the white wine appellations further south, giving Chardonnay a richer, more textured character than it typically shows in Puligny or Chassagne. White Beaune is a rarity; this is one of a small number of serious examples from the appellation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e100% Chardonnay from vines more than 70 years old at the upper end of the Clos des Aigrots parcel. Grapes are pressed as whole clusters and fermented with their full lees in cask — the only Lafarge white that receives new oak, used here to match the weight and richness of the site. The result is fuller and more textured than the appellation's Pinot Noirs: toasted hazelnut, ripe pear, lemon curd, and beeswax, with a creamy mid-palate and a saline, mineral finish. The 2023 vintage was Burgundy's warmest on record; the altitude of the upper parcel and the old vine age helped maintain natural balance in a year that demanded it from every grower.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe People\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Beaune Blanc is one of the more unusual wines in the Lafarge range — the only white premier cru the estate produces, from a single quarter-hectare of Chardonnay planted into an appellation known almost entirely for red wine. Michel Lafarge planted it to demonstrate that the upper Clos des Aigrots, with its higher elevation and clay soils, could produce serious white wine. He was right. The estate is now run by Frédéric Lafarge and his daughter Clothilde, farming biodynamically under both Demeter and Ecocert certification, with the same ambient-yeast, minimal-intervention approach across the entire range. Imported in the US by Becky Wasserman.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFood Pairing\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSautéed Dover sole with brown butter and capers, roast pork tenderloin with mustard cream sauce, a gratin of leeks and gruyère, or fresh pasta with truffle butter and parmesan. The wine's richness and textured weight pair well with dishes that have fat or cream to meet them; the acidity keeps everything from going heavy. A white Burgundy from an appellation you wouldn't normally think to look for one.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harvest","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50140281569503,"sku":null,"price":158.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0439\/7436\/1248\/files\/P6170418.jpg?v=1781757964","url":"https:\/\/danverwinemerchant.com\/products\/domaine-michel-lafarge-beaune-1er-cru-blanc-clos-des-aigrots-2023","provider":"Denver Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}