2015 CLOS DES LAMBRAYS Grand Cru Domaine des Lambrays, Lea & Sandeman

CLOS DES LAMBRAYS

2023 Grand Cru Domaine des Lambrays

Grapes Pinot Noir
Colour Red
Origin France, Burgundy
District Côte d'Or
Sub-district Côte de Nuits
Village Morey Saint Denis
Classification Grand Cru
Vineyard Clos des Lambrays

There are 11 cuvées, all "reunited", as Jacques Devauges insists versus "blended", in the final wine. A remarkable 75% of the vines were planted in 1935 and 1898—the latter being the first post-phylloxera generation of vines. Another 22% were planted in 1980 and the rest planted in 2000. The 2023 is fabulously expressive. It has brawn, energy and patina—all the elements of a truly world-class wine. The architecture is imposing yet gracefully balanced. For every lick of tannic tug or spark of acidity, there is a countering pulse of pristinely ripe black fruits. It's not just a drink; it's an experience. Give this at least ten to 15 years, preferably far longer. This is one of my wines of the vintage. Rating: 98 Christy Canterbury MW - TimAtkin.com (Jan 2025)


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(produced from two large parcels of differing vine ages - one that is approximately two-thirds of the blend and is now 50+ years of age and a second, smaller group of vines that are approximately 25+ years of age; made with 80% whole clusters and 80% new wood; in another change, since 2022 100% of the vineyard is used in this blend, which didn’t used to be the case). This is the most floral-suffused nose in the range with its range of lilac, violet and rose petal nuances that add elegance to the black cherry liqueur scents. The middle weight flavors are not quite as dense but they are more mineral-driven and more powerful on the moderately austere, dusty and impressively long finale. This is clearly built-toage but it’s not so compact that it couldn’t reasonably be enjoyed after 7 to 8 years. Drinking range: 2035 - Rating: 92-95 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Jan 2025)

The 11 plots were made separately and reunited just before the bottling. The terroir delimited in 1365 rests whole, with nothing declassified. Intense black purple with some glycerol legs. Sweetly dark fruit with the whole bunches hidden. A multitude of different red fruit notes speed across the palate and then the stems do show a little, gracefully, at the finish, along with some oak. As with La Richemone one can see that this vintage is not as concentrated as the previous one, but the wine has been beautifully made with rare distinction. Fine tannins to finish. Drinking range: 2033 - 2045 Rating: **** Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy  (Nov 2024)

An assemblage of 11 parcels, picked, pressed and vinified separately. 2023 saw a deliberately low yield of 41 hl/ha, despite the abundant fruit on the vine. Most producers asked to raise the legal yield, Lambrays resisted. Cask sample. Mid ruby. Intense, complex nose of red and black fruits with woodsmoke. Concentrated and intense fruit, with at present quite a pronounced structure of powerful tannins with good acidity. On the palate more flowers, herbs and spice. As deep as it is broad and, although imposing, neither hard nor overbearing. There’s great balance, real luxury and undoubted promise. It is, alas, not cheap. (MH) Drinking range: 2035 - 2050 Rating: 18+ Matthew Hayes, www.jancisrobinson.com (Oct 2024)

Domaine des Lambrays

The 'Clos' consists of 8.66 hectares of land enclosed by a wall in which there is the original milestone marking its founding in 1365, confirmed in the records of the Abbaye de Citeaux (those monks knew where to place a vineyard). The Clos owes much of its current fame to the nineteenth and twentieth century proprietors who reconstituted it after the fragmentation of ownership which followed the French revolution. Despite always having been considered a Grand Cru site, the Clos was in fact classified Premier Cru in the original 1936 appellations contrôlées.

The Rodier family which owned it from the 1930s fought to regain its Grand cru status, with eventual success only in 1981, when it became the last of the thirty-three Grands Crus of Burgundy, although by then it had passed to the Saier family. Recently under the benign ownership of the Günther Freund and his family, who gave a very free hand to régisseur Thierry Brouin, who had been employed by their predecessor Rolland Pelletier de Chambure, the quality of the wines here has pushed up again. In 2014 it was bought by the LVMH group.

It has been all rather quick change here as Jacques Devauge has taken over here after a short interregnum under Boris Champy. The legacy of Thierry Brouin can still be felt, Jacques decribing him as having been 'clairvoyant' in his approach to the domaine, which has set it up well to deal with challenges of warmer vintages. Jacques seems set to take this estate onward - 'every domaine has to challenge itself to do better', he says. 2019 marks the second year being fully organic - if all goes well they will be certified after another two.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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