Domaine des LAMBRAYS -- 2013s from Cask and Bottle and a 2012 from Bottle

Domaine des LAMBRAYS (Morey-Saint-Denis)

When this estate changed ownership in 1979, the new owners hired Thierry Brouhin to manage this property. Thierry continued on through subsequent owners, and with the means that the Freund family of Cologne provided him, has done a brilliant job over the last decades of restoring this estate to prominence. But approaching age 65, Thierry told me on my visit in November 2013 that 2014 would be his last harvest and then he would retire.

Then, this spring came the bombshell that LVMH had purchased Domaine des Lambrays. To provide continuity in the transition, Thierry has agreed to stay on an additional three years. He says nothing has changed with respect to the making of the wines.  The domaine has rented bit of Morey-Saint-Denis in the Rue de Vergy lieu-dit for 2014 to provide more of the basic Morey.

2013s  from Cask and Bottle

 Harvesting here began on October 3. Thierry said that there was lots of triage, resulting in 20 hl of rosé being made from grapes that had not reached full maturity. Malolactic fermentations were normal, finishing at the end of January. As always, whole clusters were used here. Thierry expects to bottle the wines in February or March 2015.

Thierry also said that he prefers 2013 to 2012 because the more recent vintage is more expressive of terroir.

2013 Morey-Saint-Denis

This wine is smooth, medium-weight, and shows good concentration and length. It is high quality for a village wine. Unfortunately, there are only 12 barrels, or about 300 cases of the wine. (87-91)

2013 Clos des Lambrays

The 2013 Clos des Lambrays has sweetness from the fruit and is medium-weight, smooth, long, and mineral. It should be a classic. There are 95 barrels of this wine, or about 2375 cases of 12 bottles. (93-96)

2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru  -- Les Folatières

The Folatières is dense, mineral, broad, and a touch fat. It is enjoyable, but not up to the top wines that can come from here. 92/A

2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru – Le Cailleret

The Cailleret is finer, pure, penetrating, and mineral with quite a bit of density. 93(+)/A

2012 from Bottle

2012 Clos des Lambrays

This wine shows the structure of 2012, salinity, minerality, finesse, nervosity, and red fruits. 95+/A