Comte Lafon, Les Heritiers du
Summary
Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon is Dominique Lafon's 14-hectare Mâconnais estate producing terroir-specific Chardonnay wines from five villages with diverse clay-limestone soils at 200-300 meters elevation. Their certified organic and biodynamic approach, combined with minimal intervention winemaking and precise vineyard management, has fundamentally elevated the reputation of Mâconnais wines and established new quality standards for the region.
Heritage & Leadership
Les Héritiers du Comté Lafon was established in 1999 when Dominique Lafon, the director of the prestigious Domaine des Comté Lafon in Meursault, acquired vineyards in the Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy. This expansion represented Dominique's vision to apply his family's winemaking expertise to the underappreciated terroirs of the Mâconnais. The domaine began with parcels in Milly-Lamartine and has gradually expanded its holdings across several villages in the region.
Dominique Lafon, who has managed his family's Meursault estate since 1987, oversees the operation while Caroline Gon serves as the technical director and winemaker, having joined the team in 2006. Under their leadership, Les Héritiers du Comté Lafon has developed a reputation for elevating Mâconnais wines through meticulous vineyard work and precise winemaking. The domaine operates independently from the Meursault estate but benefits from the same technical expertise and quality-focused approach.
Vineyards & Wines
Les Héritiers du Comté Lafon encompasses approximately 14 hectares of vineyards spread across five key villages in the Mâconnais: Milly-Lamartine, Clessé, Uchizy, Chardonnay, and Viré. The domaine produces exclusively white wines from Chardonnay grapes, focusing on single-vineyard bottlings that express the distinct characteristics of each site.
The vineyards are planted on east and southeast-facing slopes at elevations between 200 and 300 meters, with soils that vary from clay-limestone in Milly-Lamartine to more limestone-dominant compositions in Uchizy. Notable vineyard sites include the Clos du Four in Milly-Lamartine, Les Maranches in Uchizy, and Les Mécaniques in Viré-Clessé. The domaine also produces a Mâcon-Villages from younger vines across their holdings. Vine age ranges from 15 to over 80 years old, with the oldest parcels contributing to the most structured wines in the portfolio.
Philosophy & Practice
Les Héritiers du Comté Lafon has been certified organic since 2009, with all vineyards managed according to organic principles that prohibit synthetic chemicals and emphasize soil health. The domaine also incorporates biodynamic practices, focusing on the relationship between plant growth, soil health, and lunar cycles.
In the cellar, winemaking follows a minimal intervention approach. Grapes are hand-harvested and whole-cluster pressed, with fermentation occurring spontaneously using indigenous yeasts. The wines ferment and age primarily in neutral French oak barrels for the single-vineyard bottlings, with some portions in stainless steel tanks depending on the vintage and vineyard character. The Mâcon-Villages typically ages entirely in stainless steel to preserve freshness.
The aging process typically lasts 10-12 months, with the wines remaining on their fine lees to develop complexity and texture. Sulfur additions are kept to a minimum, with a small dose at bottling to ensure stability. This approach aims to translate the distinct terroirs of the Mâconnais while maintaining precision and purity in the finished wines.