Domaine des Lambrays is an historic estate that in 2019 saw one of the biggest turning points in its 650 years. This small Grand Cru of 8.66 hectares boasts a complex, varied topography and terroir, and, with vines averaging 90 years old (the majority planted between 1898 and 1935), has long offered the potential to produce one of the Côte’s great wines. The purchase of the Domaine by LVMH in 2014 was a major turning point, the second was without doubt Jacques Devauges’ arrival at the estate in March 2019. After glittering stints at Domaine de l’Arlot and Clos de Tart, Jacques embarked on a project to turn the Clos’ potential into reality. His sole aim was to achieve as pure an expression as possible of this great terroir’s qualities. The first, and largest, step was undertaking a detailed study of the terroir – a huge piece of work that revealed 12 different parcels, all of which were picked and vinified separately in 2019 (a first for the estate). The second major change has been conversion to organic viticulture, and, from 2020, biodynamics. Apart from investing in gravity-fed cellars and bespoke smaller fermentation vats, there is no “wizadry” in the cellars as such, merely a system designed to get the best out of the grapes. Precision in the vineyard and an invisible hand in the cellar are the best ways to summarise Jacques’s approach. Fermentation is mostly with whole bunches, up to 80% but varying according to vintage, whiles ageing, again depending on the year, would ordinarily be for 18 months in 60% new oak barriques.
2017 Vintage
Boris Champy’s first vintage and Thierry Brouin’s last. Based on the 2017 this seems to be a passing of the baton rather than marking any notable change in style. Boris considers the 2017 season to be characterised by a “beautiful summer without excess. It was warm but not extreme.” Typically Lambrays were one of the first to harvest their Pinots, picking between the 2nd to the 10th September. As usual a lot of whole bunches were used for fermentation, 90%. Even after short-pruning and de-budding Boris was at pains to underline that a green harvest was necessary to keep yields down and avoid dilution. From there on in the season was fairly uncomplicated and vintage was relatively stress-free, as much as harvest can be, and vinifications were easy. These are traditional Lambrays wines that show a harmonious balance of crystalline, transparent fruit, and dense velvety structures.
2018 Vintage
Domaine des Lambrays looks destined for great things. Jacques Devauges, who made the leap over the fence from neighbours Clos de Tart in March 2019, is the ideal man to get the best from this wonderful and very complex terroir. Whilst Jacques is too humble to try and re-invent the wheel here, you can expect a great deal of rigour and precision from him. We have no doubt this will lead to wines with more refinement and expression. Jacques, who will oversee the élévage and bottling, pointed out to us that although, over the course of the whole year, 2018 was the warmest on record since 1902, the summer itself was not that extreme and certainly not as stress-inducing for the plants as 2003. Harvest began on the 25th August, three weeks earlier than usual, and finished 3rd September. This was 92 days after flowering, a longer and more classic growing period than the shorter, more violently hot 2003 vintage.
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