Lafarge Volnay 2020

91-94 points Jasper Morris, MW (Inside Burgundy): "Glowing mid purple. Super sensual fruit on the nose, and this is just the basic Volnay, a perfect expression of the appellation. And then a level of density that I wasn't expecting in this cuvée. How can you do better? Only by going further up-scale chez Lafarge, I suspect. (Oct 2021)"

93 points Charles Curtis, MW (Decanter): "This is among the reference points for village Volnay. It is a wine with a winningly ripe aroma of blackberry, spice and roses. The texture is supple and approachable, but with time one sees the concentration and subtle tannic grip - there are no hard edges, but noticeable reserves of power. It is produced from the 1.7ha of village vines that don't go into the Vendanges Sélectionnées. They are spread over six lieux-dits, including Les Famines, Les Buttes, and Des Cros Martin. The fruit is destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in older casks. Drinking Window: 2025-2040. (Nov 2021)"

89-92 points/'Outstanding/Top value,' Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(from a mix of vines that average about 40 years of age in Brouillard, Buttes, Famines, Pasquiers and Cros Martin). A slightly more deeply pitched nose combines notes of both red and dark currant along with an abundance of warm earth, humus and underbrush nuances. The sleek, intense and utterly delicious medium-bodied flavors possess fine underlying tension on the chalky, youthfully austere and firm finale that delivers excellent length. Fine quality here. Drink: 2027+. (Oct 2021)"

91 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 2020 Volnay villages from the Lafarge family is excellent. The refined bouquet wafts from the glass in a fine mix of red plums, black cherries, raw cocoa, gamebird, a complex base of dark soil tones and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is svelte, full and very refined in personality, with a sappy core of fruit, lovely complexity and soil signature, ripe, seamless tannins and excellent balance and grip on the long, complex and focused finish. Village wines do not get much better than this! 2030-2070. (Nov/Dec 2021)"