Winemaker Notes
Originated from the almost monopoly of the estate within the Grand Cru, the Clos des Lambrays is a wide ownership, if you compared it to Bourgogne scale. The plot is far from homogeneous. Its smooth slopes offer a diversity of sun exposures that are key for the complexity of the wine. At the top, the Clos is composed mainly of marls whereas the bottom clay mixes with limestone.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
To say this is textbook Pinot Noir is to do this stunning wine an injustice. But it does have everything that should be in a great Pinot Noir—the sumptuousness, the silky tannins, the touch of wood, the red fruits. All of these are enveloped in an elegant structure, leaving freshness and delicious, refreshing acidity at the end.
-
Wine Spectator
A terrific 2004, with loads of sweet black cherry, raspberry, rose and sandalwood notes. As this intensifies across the palate, the mineral element becomes evident. The structure is well-integrated, and this ends with energy and freshness.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
While Morey-St-Denis of Burgundy might not get the same attention as its neighbors, Gevrey-Chambertin to the north and Chambolle-Musigny to the south, there is no reason why it shouldn’t. The same line of limestone runs from the Combe de Lavaux in Gevrey—all the way through Morey—ending in Chambolle.
There are four grand cru vineyards, moving southwards from the border with Gevrey-Chambertin: Clos de la Roche, Clos St-Denis, Clos des Lambrays, Clos de Tart and a small segment of Bonnes-Mares overlapping from Chambolle. Clos de la Roche is probably the finest vineyard, giving wines of true depth, body, and sturdiness for the long haul than most other vineyards.
Pinot Noir from Morey-St-Denis is known for its deep red cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry fruit. Aromas of spice, licorice and purple flowers are present in the wines’ youth, evolving to forest and game as the wine ages.