(Please see my overall account of the 2018 vintage here.)
2018 was an unusual transition year for Lambrays.
Thierry Brouin retired as technical directer and his appointed successor, Boris Champy, completed his first solo vintage of the wines in 2018. Soon thereafter, Boris left under circumstances that I still do not understand.
On March 1, 2019, Jacques Devagues, previously technical director Clos de Tart and prior to that at Domaine de l’Arlot, became Champy’s replacement.
It was with Jacques that I tasted the wines below; 2019 is the first vintage that is his full responsibility. In 2019, the estate became organic, and in 2020 it will begin the process of conversion to biodynamic production. There is also an increasing emphasis on vinification by individual parcels.
Back to 2018, harvesting began on 25 August with the reds and finished on 3 September. The whites were harvested on 27 August. Yields were a little below 40 hl/ha. There are no whole clusters in the village Morey, 50% in the Morey 1er Cru, and 80% in the Clos des Lambrays.
Malo-lactic fermentations were rapid. Alcohols are modest for the vintage: 13.6% for the Clos des Lambrays, 13.4% for the Morey 1er Cru, 13.6% for the village Morey, and 13.4% for the whites.
2018 Morey-Saint-Denis
The village Morey has pure red currant and pomegranate aromas. The mouth is smooth in texture with red currant and pomegranate fruit, medium-weight, moderate acidity, a silky texture, and freshness. (87-89)
2018 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru
The Morey 1er Cru has floral aromas, followed by a mouth with good structure and depth, a silky texture, salinity, soy and fresh red fruits. All the premiers crus in this wine are at the bottom of Morey. (90-92)
2018 Clos des Lambrays
Fans of Clos des Lambrays, of which I am one, will not be disappointed by this wine. The nose is complex with with dark and red fruits and spices. The mouth is medium-weight and has a smooth texture, salinity, soy, freshness, density, and overall balance. 50% new oak here. (94-96)
2017 Clos des Lambrays
2017 was the last vintage that Thierry Brouin was responsible for (and Boris Champy worked with him on it). The nose is still dominated by oak, and possibly some reduction. The mouth is silky and pure with spicy red fruits. It is medium-weight with freshness, but not a ripe, dense, or deep as the 2018; instead it is more a vintage of finesse. 94(+)/A
In white, two superb wines:
2018 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
The Folatières is light, pure, incisive, spicy, fresh, and citric. (92-95)
2018 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret
The Clos du Cailleret shows some oak along with spices and citric notes in the nose. The mouth is pure, balanced, dense, energetic, and fresh with spicy fruit. It is a spheric wine. (93-95)