Visit to Domaine des Lambrays
Morey-St-Denis
Tasted January 21, 2015 by HowardNZ with 524 views
Introduction
[These notes were from a visit in June 2014. They are written from my and Andrew’s contemporaneous notes].
After Comte Lafon we headed back up the Route Nationale to Morey where we met Thierry Brouin at Domaine des Lambrays.
The Clos des Lambrays is not quite a monopole for Domaine des Lambrays. There is one other producer with an annual production of half a barrel whose expectations for the sale price of his tiny holding have not yet been met. The Domaine des Lambrays was bought by LVMH one month before our visit but it seems to be business as usual. We were shown around the Domaine by the wine maker Thierry Brouin and then taken down to the cellar for a tasting of three Clos des Lambrays reds and one Côte de Beaune white.
Flight 1 (4 notes)
Red
2013 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
(Tasted from barrel, malo completed, 100% whole bunch). Deep, dark colour. Lifted berry, black cherry and plum aromas underpinned by savoury notes of spice and underbrush. Rich, ripe, fine fruit with brambly and liqueur flavours; precise, elegant fruit framed by fine, bright acidity and cultured tannins. This is a very appealing wine, even at this early stage. I preferred the 2012.
Red
2012 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
(Yield 15 hl/ha, harvested 20 September). Again a dark, impenetrable appearance. Complex fruit aromas; raspberries, cassis, and blueberries with spicy aromas. An impression of real ripeness. Tremendous concentration on the palate; complex fruit flavours in good balance with acids and polished tannins. Flavours of crème de cassis, compote de fruits and mixed dark spices. We asked about the comparison between the 2012 and the 2003. Thierry said that although there was high concentration, it was not to the level of 2003 (when they harvested at 24 August). I agreed that there was no surmaturite here. Excellent!
Red
2010 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
(Yield 25 hl/ha). Again great depth of colour. Beautiful complex lifted fruit aromas with savoury notes. Blackberries, black currants, blueberries, cherries and hints of tropical fruit. Great intensity on entry and a gorgeous mouthfeel; big fruit in perfect balance with the fine-grained tannins and acids. Palate coating depth with real, profound structure and power. My favourite of the three vintages. More classical in style than the other two vintages.
White
2009 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
(50% new oak, 100% malo). Deep gold colour. On bouquet, plenty of ripe fruit - tropical and stone fruits, particularly pear and white peach – with blanched almonds and a touch of cinnamon. In the mouth, the first impression is of viscous mouthfeel with the round style that marks the vintage. Rich flavours on entry but perhaps underpowered with acidity. “You could eat foie gras with this”, says Thierry Brouin.
Closing
This was a superb visit and it was a joy to compare the three Clos des Lambrays in these vintages. Many thanks to Monsieur Brouin for his generosity and to Ross Dukes for arranging the visit.
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