This property was named after its first owner. The present one, Pierre Meslier (who worked at d'Yquem as manager), bought Raymond Lafon in 1972.
There are 18 ha of vines in the Sauternes commune, surrounded by famous names such as Lafaurie Peyraguey, d'Yquem, and Suduiraut. The soil here is gravelly on the surface and contains a mix of clay and limestone. The cépage is a classic for Sauternes & Barsac - 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The vines are, on average, 35 years old; the yield per hectare is only 8.5 hectoliters (!); and the wine matures in new barrels for three years.
A perfect example of how Raymond Lafon prioritizes quality over quantity is that only grapes with a sugar content corresponding to a potential alcohol content of 19-21% are selected for harvesting. Another sign of ruthless selection is that 20-100% (!) of the harvest is declassified every year, depending on the vintage's quality.
Raymond Lafon is similar in style to d'Yquem and is one of the district's most stable and sought-after wines. It is among the top five sweet wines in Bordeaux and represents excellent value for the price.
In April 2012, Jean-Pierre Meslier arranged for me a vertical of 11 successive vintages (2001-2011), which showcased Raymond Lafon's capabilities. In November 2012, he came to Copenhagen to tutor a wine dinner, where nine vintages of Raymond Lafon were served with appropriate dishes. It was a marvelous experience!
In April 2024, Jean-Pierre Meslier, in collaboration with Bill Blatch, a renowned expert in Bordeaux’s sweet wines, organized a vertical tasting featuring 21 vintages of Raymond Lafon, spanning from 1979 to 2023. The event took place at the property, and all vintages were sourced from the property's cellar. The vintages tasted included 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2002, 1999, 1995, 1990, 1987, 1980, and 1979. We tasted from youngest to oldest. It was a fantastic experience to taste such a wide range of vintages, some of which I had never tried before. It was an impressive display of high-quality wines, even though some great vintages, such as 2001 and 2003, were absent from the lineup. This unclassified property certainly rubs shoulders with the very best wines in the district.
Close-up of botrytised grapes
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Raymond Lafon 2023 (barrel sample) 96p
I tasted it twice, last in April 2024. Consistent notes. Due to a rigorous selection process, only half of the harvest was used for the Grand Vin. The wine showcased intense aromas of honeydew melon, acacia honey, and orange peel. On the palate, it was sophisticated, complex, and layered, with excellent acidity. The aftertaste was rich and prolonged. Overall, it was a beautiful effort.
Raymond Lafon 2022 (barrel sample) 95-96p
Tasted twice - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. 80% Semillon + 20% S. Blanc. This subtle and sophisticated wine featured aromas of heather honey, botrytized guava, candied oranges, and dried apricots. It was rich, with fine acidity, a vibrant character, finesse, and a delicate, sweet finish. An excellent effort.
Raymond Lafon 2021 94+p
Tasted three times - last time in April 2024. Not consistent notes. Spring frost wiped out 50% of the harvest, so the yield per hectare came in at a mere four hectoliters. This wine wasn’t convincing from the barrel, but I have to say it excelled significantly after bottling. It had very intense flavors of botrytized orange peel, citrus, sweet grapefruit, and apricot. It was complex, had splendid acidity, a rich aftertaste, and was simply a terrific effort.
Raymond Lafon 2020 93p
I tasted it three times, the last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. Rainfall during the spring and at the end of the harvest, combined with summer drought, negatively impacted the crop quality. Only 33% of the harvest was deemed good quality and went into the Grand Vin. The aromas included honeydew, mango, and sweet lemon, contributing to a flavorful profile. It had fine acidity and a refreshing honeyed aftertaste. Fine.
Raymond Lafon 2019 95p
Tasted four times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. Only 40% of normal production (16 hl/ha) was used for Grand Vin, and the quality of these grapes was excellent. Delicate aromas of pineapple and peaches on the nose, a bit lighter than usual on the palate, great finesse and elegance, fine acidity, and a honeyed aftertaste. This was from the barrel in June 2020. When tasted in November 2021, it showed improvement in terms of flavor intensity, depth, and length. In April 2024, it offered Sweet pineapple, apricot, mandarin peel, and botrytized almonds. Vibrant, refined, and with great acidity on the palate. Long honeyed finish. Superb effort.
Raymond Lafon 2018 94-95p
Tasted twice - last time in November 2021. Consistent notes. It is a quite aromatic wine with notes of pineapple, sweet grapefruit, and mango, characterized by elegance, refined bright acidity, and a long finish. It's not the concentrated vintage here, lighter than usual, but it had much grace and finesse to compensate for that.
Raymond Lafon 2017 95-96p
Tasted five times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. A third of the crop was lost to frost in April. However, the resulting wine is impressive, characterized by its freshness, superb acidity, and sweetness. It featured intense flavors of botrytized almonds, pear, peach, and apricot, showcasing splendid complexity, elegance, and finesse. Overall, it was an excellent effort.
Raymond Lafon 2016 93-94p
Tasted four times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. This vintage offered less intense flavors and concentration than in 2017. Nevertheless, this wine was more elegant and refined than in 2017. It boasted aromas of candied orange peel and heather honey, great acidity, and a rich honeyed finish. Splendid effort.
Raymond Lafon 2015 96p
Tasted four times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. It was an exceptional vintage for the property, with ideal growing conditions and widespread botrytis. The potential sugar content was relatively high. The wine was rich and powerful, perfectly balanced, and showcased flavors of sweet pineapple, candied orange peel, and guava. It also had great acidity and a long, honeyed finish. Truly remarkable!
Raymond Lafon 2014 95p
Tasted six times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. The harvest was small in quantity, but the grapes brought in were of high quality. It had a terrific nose of heather honey, candied orange peel, and sweet grapefruit. On the palate, the sweetness was expertly balanced by a great acidity. It was complex and refined, with a long finish. Superb effort.
Raymond Lafon 2013 96p
Tasted seven times - last time in April 2023. Consistent notes. It is a rich wine with much finesse, excellent acidity, superb balance, great complexity, and a honeyed finish. It appears that this wine continues to improve with each tasting. Yep, it was still simply excellent in April 2023!
Raymond Lafon 2012 NR
The 2012 vintage grapes had a low sugar content, which was insufficient to be included in the Grand Vin. As a result, the Meslier family decided not to produce the Grand Vin and instead directed all production into the second wine, Jeunes Pousses de Raymon Lafon.
Raymond Lafon 2011 94p
Tasted six times - last time in April 2018. Consistent notes. Aromatic with acacia honey, sophisticated, long, and with great intensity of aromas (mango, honey melon), and great acidity. It has a very long, honeyed aftertaste. Excellent effort for the vintage.
Raymond Lafon 2010 96+p
Tasted eight times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. Many botrytis-affected grapes were harvested, primarily collected during just two pickings. The harvest was clean and straightforward, with no insects or diseases. The result is a wine that boasts plenty of pineapple and grapefruit aromas, displaying a sophisticated richness and exquisite balance. It is a truly impressive effort.
Raymond Lafon 2009 96-97p
Tasted thirteen times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. This vintage enjoyed ideal growing conditions all year round. The wine was spectacular on the nose and palate, featuring a great range of botrytized flavors, including almonds, pineapple, pear, apricot, and acacia flower, with exquisite sweetness and acidity. Incredibly long on the palate with a beautiful honeyed aftertaste. Fabulous stuff.
Raymond Lafon 2008 93-94p
Tasted nine times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. Small production. It had a great nose of candied orange peel, acacia honey, and citrus. Acidity kept everything in order and perfectly matched the fruit's sweetness. It was a captivating wine, with exquisite balance and a lovely structure, and great style. Splendid effort.
Raymond Lafon 2007 95+p
I tasted it twelve times, the last time in September 2013. Consistent notes. It had intense aromas of botrytis, lemon, grapefruit, orange peel, and citrus. This wine was powerful on the palate, with mineral notes, beautiful acidity, and a honeyed aftertaste. It is a stunning effort for the vintage.
Raymond Lafon 2006 92+p
Tasted ten times - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. It was a year with unusual temperature fluctuations. The wine exhibited an appealing aroma of acacia flowers and honey alongside nutty flavors and good acidity. Its lovely structure and delicate balance resulted in an elegant and seductive wine. Nice effort.
Raymond Lafon 2005 96p
I tasted it twelve times, the last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. Following the reasonable flowering period, the weather conditions remained ideal throughout the harvest, necessitating only three pickings. 70% of the harvest went into Grand Vin. Pure, with a very aromatic profile and a huge intensity of flavors, reminiscent of acacia honey, apricots, and walnuts. Rich, outstanding balance, and sophisticated touch. A fabulous wine with great keeping potential.
Raymond Lafon 2004 94p
Tasted seven times - last time in November 2012. Consistent notes. Only one-third of the entire harvest went into Grand Vin - the grapes were picked between September 27th and October 7th. It possessed extremely fine botrytis and an intensely aromatic nose of apricot, honey melon, and acacia honey. This wine was intense, sophisticated, and highly complex on the palate. The acidity in this wine was impeccable and perfectly complemented the excellent fruit. This is a stunning wine. Kudos to Pierre Meslier!!!
Raymond Lafon 2003 99p
Tasted seven times - last time in March 2015. Consistent notes. 99.9% of the entire harvest became Grand Vin! The nose is exceptionally intense, featuring aromas of molasses, mango, candied mandarin peel, and crème brûlée. The botrytized flavors are incredible and deep, creating a vibrant and unctuous experience that lingers exceptionally long on the palate. The acidity perfectly balances the abundant sweetness. This wine is extraordinary. A pure extravaganza, a true legend, and a perfect example of the flamboyant style of Bordeaux dessert wines. Those who criticize the 2003 vintage for having too much sugar and too little acidity may want to reconsider their stance! This wine pairs wonderfully with a wide range of foods.
Raymond Lafon 2002 93p
I tasted it seven times, the last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. It was a late harvest that finished in late October. The wine was well-balanced, delicate, and light, yet possessed seductive elegance. It was flavorful with notes of apricot and orange peel, and it had a delicious sweetness, bright acidity, and a lingering finish. A graceful effort.
Raymond Lafon 2001 98p
I tasted it seven times, the last time in April 2012. Consistent notes. This wine is a masterpiece, and I call it "nectar of the Gods." What a sublime, rich, wonderfully knit wine with botrytis, sweetness, balance, and acidity of the highest quality grade. Great purity. It will easily last for 20-40 years.
Raymond Lafon 2000 90p
I tasted it twice, the last time in September 2011. It has consistent notes. The September pickings were of high quality, but then the rain came and didn't stop for the remaining months of the year. Acacia honey, sweet pineapple, light but elegant with finesse. It is a charming wine to drink now before the big vintages mature.
Raymond Lafon 1999 92-93p
I tasted it twice - last time in April 2024. Not consistent notes. Pure delight! Fabulous botrytis, both sweet and "sour" at the same time. Incredibly nuanced, rich, and sophisticated. What a length and structure. It will bring a great deal of pleasure for the next ten years. This was in April 2003. However, this wine wasn't as profound in April 2024 and seemed to be aging rapidly. It displayed a nice range of botrytized flavors like brown sugar, honey melon, and apricot. There was nice sweetness and acidity, and a light honeyed aftertaste.
Raymond Lafon 1998 94p
I tasted it in April 2003. This wine resembles the 1997 vintage almost exactly. It's slightly less perfect botrytis, but other ingredients are of the same staggering quality. It's a true delicacy for Sauternes freaks.
Raymond Lafon 1997 96p
Tasted three times - last time in November 2012. Consistent notes. Wow, wow, what an excellent wine! Perfect botrytis, with ideal balance, featuring notes of acacia, mango, and melon. Highly complex and sophisticated. This wine is so classic that you'll want to clap your hands. Pure elixir. Long-lived – at least until 2017.
Raymond Lafon 1995 95p
Tasted in April 2024. It was an early harvest that ended on October 7th and lasted only 11 days. The wine offered intense flavors of apricot marmalade, brown sugar, heather honey, and candied mandarin peel. Plenty of sweetness was expertly matched by bright acidity. The aftertaste lingered for a very long time. Very impressive stuff.
Raymond Lafon 1990 96+p
I tasted it twice - last time in April 2024. Consistent notes. This wine was pure enjoyment. It had intense flavors of heather honey, mandarin peel, and sweet grapefruit. There was an amazing complexity and excellent acidity that balanced the sweetness. It was unctuous and sophisticated, finishing richly with honey notes.
Raymond Lafon 1988 96p
Tasted in October 2008. One of my favorite vintages in Sauternes is hugely well-balanced, purely elegant, sophisticated, and refined. Raymond Lafon was ideally suited to this description in October 2008, with powerful mandarin and candied fruit aromas. On the palate, acidity supported the sweetness extremely well. A long-time keeper due to its extraordinary balance - 10-15 years more from now.
Raymond Lafon 1987 87p
Tasted in April 2024. It tasted as if it had peaked a long time ago. It was light on its feet, agreeable, and flavorful, but a hint of sweetness remained. Round, pleasant, and tasty.
Raymond Lafon 1980 91p.
Tasted in April 2024. Late harvest. It is a remarkably well-preserved and lively wine in a so-so vintage. It exhibited aromatic notes of delicate citrus and sweet lemon, a nice balance and acidity, and a honeyed finish. Very good effort, indeed.
Raymond Lafon 1979 91p.
Tasted in April 2024. Late harvest that lasted one and a half months. This wine tasted like the twin brother of the 1980 vintage, sharing the same characteristics. There were still several years left in the tank. It was delicate and tasty.
Link to Wine-Searcher's Raymond Lafon page - click here