Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er cru Santenots-du-Milieu 2022

94-96 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "For the first time, the Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu contains 50% whole clusters, which they believe adds more freshness to the wine. I think it gives another layer of complexity: black plum, violet, briar and just a touch of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins and gentle grip, gaining body and depth towards a harmonious and minerally finish. Excellent. NB In 2023, they de-stemmed 100%, so the whole bunches are subject to the growing season. Drink: 2025-2048. (Jan 2024)"

95 points Charles Curtis MW (Decanter): "I have long loved the Volnay Santenots from Lafon. The style has been evolving in recent years; if anything, it is even more compelling. Out of cask, the wine has an inky dark colour and an impressively fragrant nose with mulberry and plum aromas, hints of earth, smoke and spice. The texture is rich and dense but not astringent, and the finish is impressively long. The percentage of whole cluster has been creeping up (40% in 2022), and the number of punch downs declining to deliver a silky, approachable texture and abundant, forward fruit. Drinking Window: 2030-2055. (Jul 2023)"

93-95 points/'Five Star Wine,' Jasper Morris, MW (Inside Burgundy): "Much the deepest and densest purple of the three Lafon Volnay 1ers Crus, with intensity on the nose to match. Darker berries, may quite restrained, such is the intensity. This is a huge wine on the palate, with good acidity, still needs a lot more elevage. The quality of the fruit comes out in the excellent finish with very well integrated tannins. This matches the sublime 2019 Santenots. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Oct 2023."

92-95 points/'Sweet spot/Outstanding' Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(from a huge 3.78 ha holding of 40+ year old vines planted in shallow, high clay content soil sitting above a bed of solid limestone). Slightly riper and markedly spicier aromas of poached plum, dark currant and a suggestion of earth enjoy a variety of floral influences and in particular violet. There is excellent volume and better mid-palate density to the focused and powerful larger-bodied flavors that conclude in a compact, serious and bult-to-age finale. This is impressive and wine that should age gracefully over the next 20 years. Strongly worth considering. Drink: 2034+. (Apr 2024)"

94 points Christy Canterbury, MW (TimAtkin.com): "This is just plain bold—unusually so in my experience, even for a Santenots. It is muscled up with über-ripe fruit and has significant, spicy oak influence. Still, that plethora of ripe red fruits has the oomph to soak it all up. Don't short-change the wine by opening it too early on. (2024)"

93 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "Revisited in bottle, the 2022 Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots-du-Milieu opens in the glass with aromas of plums, sweet wild berries and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming palate that's suave and integrated out of the gates. Drink: 2025-2045. (Jan 2025)"