Lafarge Volnay 1er cru Clos des Chênes 1998

93 points Jasper Morris, MW (The World of Fine Wine): "Beautiful fresh deep red colour. Lovely vibrant fruit, raspberry notes, real weight and length with only an edge of tannin. Begins to open out and show some touches of maturity, maybe a first leathery note too. A little note of dryness here but the fruit is fabulous, even a suggestion of violets à la Musigny. This gets steadily drier, so perhaps one to drink soon. But it has caught my imagination tonight. (Nov 2015)"

93 points Richard Jennings: "Medium dark red violet color with pale meniscus; nice tart cherry, dried cherry, roses nose; a bit tight yet, focused, solid, tart red fruit, rosehips, mineral palate with firm tannins, very typical Volnay; medium-plus finish (needs 1 to 2 more years). (5/29/10)"

92 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "Bright ruby-red. Deep but reticent aromas of black cherry, cassis, licorice and Indian spices. Larger-scaled, broader and more concentrated than the Chateau des Ducs but quite unforthcoming, even austere, today. But this is ultimately sweeter. Finishes with big, even tannins and superb persistence. Very strong Volnay."

92 points Neal Martin (Wine Advocate): "Tasted at the Clos des Chênes vertical, the 1998 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes was one of the surprise packages within the flights of recent vintages. Frédéric Lafarge commented that this was a vintage "for those that worked hard." It has a surprisingly aromatic, almost corpulent bouquet with black plum, Hoisin and wild strawberry sprinkled with white pepper and a hint of morel mushrooms. The palate has a wonderful sense of balance, real finesse here with lace-like tannin and an exquisite, harmonious vintage that really dispels the notion of this being a difficult Burgundy vintage. Frédéric and Michel Lafarge must have worked very hard this year. Tasted November 2015. Drink: 2016-2030. (Mar 2016)"

18/20 points Clive Coates (The World of Fine Wine): "Rich, ripe, vigorous nose. Still firm, but just about à point. Fullish body. Lots of depth and energy. A lovely, stylish wine. (Issue #22; 2008)"

5 Glasses/'Wine of Exceptional Quality,' Bettane & Desseauve Guide (2001).

(Note on bottle condition: These older Lafarge wines are from a perfect French cellar, and its relatively high humidity has incurred some mold and cosmetic degradation of the labels. These cellar conditions are identical to the Lafarge cellars themselves, where bottles are not labeled until immediately prior to shipment, as they're blanketed with black mold until that point. The bottles are otherwise pristine with excellent fills and capsules. Images may be furnished upon request. -WHWC, May 2024)