Various Locations, San Francisco
Tasted Thursday, March 13, 2014 - Saturday, March 15, 2014 by drwine2001 with 1,089 views
Between several La Paulee events and a private dinner, this few days provided a unique opportunity to taste 15 vintages of the grand vin and several others produced by the estate. Thierry Brouin from the estate was a quietly passionate, generous guide, providing great perspective about both the current and ancient wines. For ease of reading, I have arranged them from youngest to oldest vintage, rather than the order in which they were tasted. Some of the vintages were enjoyed at a lunch where there was some time to linger over the pours, others were tasted in "fly by" fashion at the walk around tastings. The only wine we had a chance to drink over the course of an entire meal from a full bottle was not in La Paulee's line up, and that was the 2001. I'm glad we added it to the docket get another data point (and some real drinking rather than tasting pleasure!).
What an incredible privilege to taste and drink such a wide range of vintages of this historic Grand Cru. There were more than enough great wines (1919, 2010, 1947, and 1996, roughly in that order) and wines close to that pinnacle (2006, 2011, and with faith, 2005) to justify this property's reputation both before and after it changed hands. It is clearly more refined than lower classified Morey crus, but one thread that tied together multiple wines from multiple decades was a green, stemmy quality that absolutely undercut some of the wines yet enhanced others when the fruit was ripe and strong enough to buffer this. In the final analysis, a distinctive cru with great potential but which probably does not reach the elite echelon of Cote de Nuits Grand Crus.
2011 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
(3/15/2014)
Round, broad and fat. Not enough grip and not at all Puligny-like.
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2011 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
(3/13/2014)
Magnum. Pale color. Interesting lactic, leesy notes that were not present in the other 2 vintages. Restrained but really pretty. With air, this fleshed out and had the most development of the 3 vintages poured with real Puligny flintiness. Good acidity for the vintage. Excellent potential.
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2011 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
(3/15/2014)
More typical Puligny flint and fruit not as over the top as in the Folatieres, but this is still loose and unimpressive today. A different and much poorer showing than the other day out of magnum.
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2007 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
(3/13/2014)
Magnum. Light yellow. Distinctly green notes to the point of being vegetal and more like Sauvignon than Chardonnay. Some soil aromatics. Nice weight, very focused but grainy feel, cool, green, aggressive flavors in the mouth. Improves somewhat and becomes more lemony, but I still find all of herbaceous/grassy elements overpowering.
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2000 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
(3/13/2014)
Magnum. Medium yellow. A blast of honey upfront. Rich, creamy, mouth filling and long. Golden Delicious apple, caramel, spice and lees-a very satisfying, complex array of flavors. Grand Cru texture and length with saving acidity arriving late, although I'd have to say the acidity is only average. Wonderful if you lean toward rich, broad white Burgundy with less precision. Fully mature and giving everything now.
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