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 Vintage1997 Label 38 of 126 
(NOTE: Label borrowed from 1989 vintage.)
TypeRed
ProducerDomaine des Lambrays (web)
VarietyPinot Noir
Designationn/a
Vineyardn/a
CountryFrance
RegionBurgundy
SubRegionCôte de Nuits
AppellationClos des Lambrays Grand Cru

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2004 and 2013 (based on 6 user opinions)
Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays on the Wine Market Journal.

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 91.1 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 41 notes) - hiding notes with no text

 Tasted by Chimer on 10/12/2023 & rated 94 points: Extraordinarily good, sadly my last bottle, shared with friends on a balmy evening, the wine was slightly hazy having been disturbed by the journey but the aromas just burst out of the glass and the palate was complete satin. A bottle that simply hummed with energy and flavour - a wonderful treat. (344 views)
 Tasted by Chimer on 2/1/2020 & rated 93 points: Shared with my family, mature evolved colour, fresh bouquet and very sweet palate, satin textured finish. In great condition. (1761 views)
 Tasted by Enworb on 11/9/2019 & rated 93 points: The last bottle of my case purchased en-primeur for GBP27.00 was enjoyed immensely last night. Still in fine condition with fruit richness and much depth. Elegance personified. A treat. (1635 views)
 Tasted by devraj on 3/6/2019 & rated 91 points: Medium-bodied, strong forest-floor and ripe red fruits with earth and mushrooms. Decent not great. (1410 views)
 Tasted by Chimer on 1/23/2019 & rated 93 points: Mature, pale colour, beautifully soft ripe nose, structure has melted away, this is now beautifully mature and supple. Probably best drunk up but sweetness and softness of the fruit are currently delicious. (1810 views)
 Tasted by Rangstrom on 12/8/2016 & rated 93 points: This is really in a good place and quite a showing for a '97. Pale, aromatic, a touch of earth with red fruits, silky. (3283 views)
 Tasted by Philippe_C on 9/16/2015 & rated 94 points: Nice nose of brown sugar, very animal, wild feasant, tons of leather, ripe black cherries, bacon fat... taste very evolved, roasted meat juice, bacon, hint of groseilles and nice acidity on the finish, nice wine! (3590 views)
 Tasted by MJD Cellar on 6/14/2015 & rated 93 points: Deep red, full bodied with earth and pepper. Fully mature and benefited from 20 minutes in bottle. (3415 views)
 Tasted by MC on 4/3/2015: Needs 20-30 minutes, but such a solid wine and showing all it has right now. Yes, on the ripe side, but still great balance. A- (3463 views)
 Tasted by Rupert on 6/19/2014 & rated 90 points: Pale, stemmy, fresh, quite enticing (4159 views)
 Tasted by Rupert on 4/28/2014 & rated 90 points: Next to the Fourrier villages Gevrey from the same vintage, this was paler, thinner, earthier, more raw, a bit peppery in fact, but at the back end this too had a sweet strawberry kick. Nice (3214 views)
 Tasted by europat55 on 3/7/2014 & rated 91 points: Platinum Tasting - 1997 Burgundy 1er and Grand Crus (Andre and Sabine's House, Mountain View, CA): More brown than the other wines in this line-up. Gorgeous, generous, vegetal nose (B++/A-). Gorgeous palate (A-).
My #7, Group's #10 (106 pts). Tasted blind. (2672 views)
 Tasted by devraj on 2/8/2014 & rated 90 points: Light ruby red with slight bricking. There is a slight off-putting aroma in this particular bottle, not horribly corked, but this is definitely not up to par with the other bottles. Nevertheless, some tart cherry, green pepper, asian spices and forest-floor that gives way to a very silky palate with still sweet crushed berry fruit, pepper and wet earth on the finish. (2222 views)
 Tasted by Milos on 1/10/2014 & rated 94 points: I have been told that in Burgundy you have great bottles rather than great wines. I had a bottle of this wine about a month ago and it was a great bottle. This was a very good bottle. Bright deep red with very little brick. Nose is very forward, but lacked the barn yard of the previous bottle, more ripe red cherry driven with some mineral notes, but well structured. The palate is silky and tannins resolved. Very long finish. Very good Burgundy! (2091 views)
 Tasted by Milos on 12/12/2013 & rated 96 points: I have been told that in Burgundy you have great bottles rather than great wines. This was a great bottle. Quite deep red with little brick. Nose is very forward, barn yard, forest undergrowth and ripe dark cherry, slightly stewed, but that only adds complexity and does not distract. The palate is silky, tannins completely resolved, with nice balance between acidity sweetness of the sweet fruit. The wine feels almost viscous on the palate, yet light on its feet at the same time. Very long finish. Memorable Burgundy! (1568 views)
 Tasted by MC on 8/24/2013: Similar to my last note, this was great right out of the bottle. Ripe red fruit, fully mature wine that has all of what you expect from the better '97s. Certainly time to drink up, but this is in a good spot, and a very good first red of the evening. A- (1901 views)
 Tasted by MC on 12/23/2012: Big, ripe wine. Much more full bodied and complete than I expected. Drinking really well right now. Should hold for a bit, but don't wait. A- (2153 views)
 Tasted by devraj on 11/20/2012 & rated 93 points: Light ruby red color. Beautiful classic burgundy nose, tart red cherries, underbrush, asian spices, violets all vie for attention. Well defined, medium-bodies and silky palate with impeccable balance of acid, ripe red cherry fruit, hint of smoke and violet perfume on the finish. (2230 views)
 Tasted by devraj on 6/13/2012 & rated 92 points: Red with bricking around the edges. Opened cork and left for 4 h. Lovely seductive nose that has red cherry liquer with pits, leather, forest floor, asian spice and smoke. A well integrated mid-bodied palate has silky red berry and plum fruit, good mid-palate sap with a smoky and lingering floral perfume in the mouth. (2750 views)
 Tasted by dkawai1980 on 4/21/2012 & rated 91 points: Amazing aromas of perfume and strawberries. Have never experienced anything like this.

Palate is nice with strawberry jam and strong enough acid to make this interesting (3210 views)
 Tasted by drwine2001 on 4/9/2012: Random Notes from Travels in France; 4/6/2012-4/14/2012 (Paris, Loire, Alsace): Mature with some browning. Strange combination of stalkiness and artificial sweetness at first (chaptalization?), but this improved over time to show some gaminess, cocoa and ripe black fruits. Some VA. Not great but at least a '97 that has held on for 15 years. Drink now if you own any. (4142 views)
 Tasted by acyso on 4/27/2011 & rated 90 points: Very pale colour, with significant bricking. Very alluring and perfumed nose of ripe red fruits, rust, and a good hint of earthiness along with some green notes. Very sweet on the palate and also quite jammy as well. Feels concentrated, but lacks complexity. There is a little bit of menthol on the relatively short finish. It's a very pleasant old Burgundy to drink, but it's not grand vin. Approachable now, but I strongly doubt we're headed for any more improvement in the future. (2636 views)
 Tasted by Mistress of Wine on 7/5/2010: Dark ruby with some bricking at the edge. Nose of sour cherry, rose petal, tobacco and earth. A little lean and very dry on the finish, though still fresh. Good but not great old Burgundy. We should drink the next bottle this year. (2753 views)
 Tasted by dbkitc on 11/11/2009 & rated 83 points: Ruby – brick to light salmon at rim. Pretty explosive nose that makes its way across the room. Mature and sappy pinot fruit, a touch of heat, new tennis shoes, mixed berry jelly and menthol. Kind of all over the place. Medium weight but more noble feel on the palate. Taste is also trying to find its feet. Certainly mature – and maybe too much so. A wildness to the cherry fruit that juxtaposes a strong bitter element. Finishes fast – you and feel the wine but can not taste it. Don’t think this is a good bottle. Intergrated a bit after three hours...but only a bit. Still disappointing. (83) (2765 views)
 Tasted by Rangstrom on 7/18/2009 & rated 91 points: Uncorked, small pour and 4 hours of air before and through dinner. Cork in excellent shape;very little sediment. Color was a medium ruby red with some bricking; slightly cloudy. An expressive nose from the start featuring red fruits, vanilla and a hint of earthiness. The red fruits and the earthiness carried through on the palate. A graceful wine with warmth and some substance. Much livelier than the bottle sampled last year. Good for the vintage. (2892 views)
 Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine...

Professional 'Channels'
By Allen Meadows
Burghound (2/24/2008)
(Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru Red) Subscribe to see review text.
By Allen Meadows
Burghound, 4th Quarter, 2001, Issue #4
(Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru Red) Subscribe to see review text.
By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, March/April 1999, IWC Issue #83
(Domaine des Lambrays Clos de Lambrays) Subscribe to see review text.
By Bill Nanson
Burgundy-Report (11/1/2007)
(Lambrays Clos des Lambrays) A forward nose, leafy, tobacco. The palate is subdued, relatively balanced but shows a nice little burst of interest in the mid-palate before fading. It’s quite nice, but not more.
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Burghound and Vinous and Burgundy-Report. (manage subscription channels)

CellarTracker Wiki Articles (login to edit | view all articles)

Domaine des Lambrays

Producer website

The Clos des Lambrays produced legendary wines in the 40’s. After its purchase in ’79 (elevation to Grand Cru status In 1981), the new owners, Saiers, did some replanting, but it was only about one-third of the vines, not the general replanting that some journalists have stated. Fully two-thirds on the vines are old, most in excess of 60 years. What did happen in the late ‘80’s is that Saiers apparently chose to allow yields to increase, but they suffered the consequences of that approach in quality and they were forced to sell the domaine. While it was for sale, the court turned over all phases of growing and winemaking to the regisseur, Thierry Brouin. Under his impeccable guidance the transformation in quality has been sensational. The new owners, Freund, have retained Thierry. The ’96 is deep, (yields of 28 hl/ha.) very (for want of a better word) masculine, wine. It is not easy now, but shows enormous potential, and the tannins are quite round and integrated. The 1997 is a marvel of seductive perfume and richness. In 1998 the Clos des Lambrays produced one of the great wines of the Cote D’Or, rated 91 to 94 points potential by Steven Tanzer in the International Wine Cellar. The 1999 looks to be every bit as promising with the delightful deep rich color and flavors that typify this vintage in the best domaines of Burgundy. In the words of Michel Bettane, the Clos des Lambrays is an extraordinary terroir, capable of giving wines that, in generosity of savour and length rival the greatest. It is, as Brouin pointed out to me, and shows on the palate, the most "Morey" of all the Grand Crus of that appellation—the terroir really comes through. In the vinification, too, Brouin captures this—a long fermentation, no de-stemming, and 50% new allier oak. The wines are unfined, only the last sixth of each barrel is then lightly filtered (the rest are unfiltered), and starting with ’94 our selection, completely unfined and unfiltered. In 1998, only about 65% of the production of the Clos des Lambrays went into the cuvee of Clos Grand Cru, the rest was sold as Morey Premier Cru—also a fantastic wine – evidencing the domaine’s commitment to utmost quality. “The domaine has just changed owners but Thierry Brouin, the energetic director of the property stays on. The Clos des Lambrays is one of the best exposed and most individualized terroir of the Cotes de Nuits, capable of making wines with the power of Chambertin but with even more mellowness. In the complex bouquet developed with age by the wine, one easily recognizes an astonishing smoky note... The next vintages should surpass even the excellent 1990 and 1995, indeed the selection process for the great wine will be even more severe. The domaine also produces a marvelous Puligny- Montrachet, Les Caillerets, in a style a little more oaked than that of Hubert de Montille.” - Le Classement, 1999 Revue du Vin de France

Pinot Noir

Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.


Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.

Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.

The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.

Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.

In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.

With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.

Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.

France

Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)

Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings

2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.com

Burgundy

Les vins de Bourgogne (Bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne) (and in English)

Burgundy - The province of eastern France, famous for its red wines produced from Pinot Noir and its whites produced from Chardonnay. (Small of amounts of Gamay and Aligoté are still grown, although these have to be labeled differently.) The most famous part of the region is known as the Cote d'Or (the Golden Slope). It is divided into the Cote de Beaune, south of the town of Beaune (famous principally for its whites), and the Cote de Nuits, North of Beaune (home of the most famous reds). In addition, the Cote Chalonnaise and the Maconnais are important wine growing regions, although historically a clear level (or more) below the Cote d'Or. Also included by some are the regions of Chablis and Auxerrois, farther north.

Burgundy Report | Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne - na stejné téma od Heleny Baker

# 2013 Vintage Notes:
* "2013 is a vintage that 20 years ago would have been a disaster." - Will Lyons
* "low yields and highly variable reds, much better whites." - Bill Nanson
* "Virtually all wines were chaptalised, with a bit of sugar added before fermentation to increase the final alcohol level." - Jancis Robinson

# 2014 Vintage Notes:
"We have not had such splendid harvest weather for many years. This will ensure high quality (fragrant, classy and succulent are words already being used) across the board, up and down the hierarchy and well as consistently from south to north geographically apart from those vineyards ravaged by the hail at the end of June." - Clive Coates

# 2015 Vintage Notes:
"Low yields and warm weather allowed for ample ripeness, small berries and an early harvest. Quality is looking extremely fine, with some people whispering comparisons with the outstanding 2005 vintage. Acid levels in individual wines may be crucial." - Jancis Robinson

# 2017 Vintage Notes:
"Chablis suffered greatly from frost in 2017, resulting in very reduced volumes. As ever, the irony seems to be that what remains is very good quality, as it is in the Côte d’Or. Cooler nights across the region have resulted in higher-than-usual acidity, with good conditions throughout the harvest season allowing for ripe, healthy fruit." - Jancis Robinson

# 2018 Vintage Notes:
"The most successful region for red Burgundy in 2018 was the Côte de Beaune. The weather was ideal in this area, with just enough sunlight and rain to produce perfectly balanced wines naturally." - Vinfolio

Côte de Nuits

on weinlagen.info

Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru

on weinlagen.info

 
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