Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er cru Champans 2016

92-94 points Jasper Morris, MW: "Has been racked without air, to avoid lees reduction. This was the least affected Volnay 1er Cru at the domaine, but still yielded only 6 barrels. Tight, lean hyper-concentrated, with a touch of youthful reduction. It leaves a lovely coating of pure raspberry essence on the teeth. Silky tannins. Long."

91-94 points Stephen Tanzer (Vinous): "(27 hectoliters per hectare produced): Bright dark red. Dark scents of blackcurrant and black cherry are complicated by menthol and violet nuances. Silky and fine-grained but a bit less thick and sweet--and more vinous--than the Clos des Chènes. Finishes seamless and very long, with noteworthy finesse of tannins. Showing beautifully today. Interestingly, this vineyard was the least affected by frost in 2016 but the first parcel Lafon harvested. (Jan 2018)"

91-94 points Fine Wine Review: "The Champans has precise dark fruit. The fleshiness of Champans is here, but the wine is still fresh and energetic. Harvested 23 September. (Nov 2017)"

93+ points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 2016 Champagne chez Lafon is again, a very pure and sappy example of this vineyard. The preponderance of more than ninety-five year-old vines here always gives this wine an extra degree of depth, and with the vintage’s predilection to deliver very sappy and pure fruit, the results are very exciting in 2016. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a gorgeous blend of black cherries, dark berries, gamebird, a lovely base of stony soil tones, woodsmoke, a touch of nutskin and a very discreet base of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full and beautifully transparent, with a sappy core, refined, suave tannins and a very, very long, complex and perfectly balanced finish. Fine, fine juice in the making. (Drink between 2024-2065. (Nov/Dec 2017)"

93 points William Kelley (Decanter): "The Champans opens in the glass with aromas of red cherry, wood smoke and a classy framing of new oak. On the palate the wine is unusually elegant this year, its impressively ample chassis of tannin endowed with lovely finesse and its deep core of fruit juicy and vibrant. Drinking Window: 2025-2040. (Oct 2017)"

93 points/'Sweet spot/Outstanding,' Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(from 85+ year old vines planted in deep sandy soil with dense but small rocks). Lafon noted that this was off -50% in 2016. Despite the restrained quality of the cool, ultra-fresh and pure liqueur-like red berry fruit the breath of spice influence is quite attractive. There is excellent complexity, intensity and power to the well-detailed medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a mouth coating if youthfully austere finish offering excellent length and fine balance. Drink: 2028+. (Apr 2018)"

93 points Tim Atkin, MW.