Harvesting began on 26 September. Overall losses were half of a normal crop. Each cuvée contains 30% whole clusters. No new oak was used so that the vintage can be seen as it is, explained Nathalie Lamarche; it is a spiritual vintage for expression of Pinot Noir, and so this is what the estate wishes to emphasize. Malolactic fermentations were rather late here.
These wines were served from barrel samples at room temperature. I’m used to tasting (and drinking) Burgundy at cellar temperature, so the warmth of the wines added an additional challenge to their evaluation.
2016 Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Pinot Noir
This attractive wine has strawberry aromas. The mouth is smooth with red fruits and good purity and length. The vines here are 45-50 years old. (88-91)
2016 Vosne-Romanée
The village Vosne has floral aromas. In the mouth, the wine is ripe with red cherries and it shows good structure. (89-93)
2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes
The Chaumes shows finesse, red fruits, good minerality, and length. Formerly one of the ugly ducklings of Vosne premiers crus, good producers have learned to handle the vineyard and make attractive wines from it, such as this one. (91-94)
2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
The Suchots shows good structure, red fruits, and a bit of typical Suchots truffliness. Production is only 20% of normal. (91-95)
2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru La Croix Rameau
The Croix Rameau is an enclave in the northeastern corner of Romanée-Saint-Vivant. The wine is medium-weight with a good acidic attack, finesse, salinity, and red fruits. (92-96)
2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Malconsorts
The Malconsorts is dense with good structure and darker fruit than in the preceding wine. The wine is penetrating and powerful. (92-96)
2016 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Cras
Lamarche’s Nuits-Cras has some creaminess to its texture with tannins, length, and intensity. It is a wine that will need some cellaring. (92-96)
2016 Echézeaux
The Echézeaux is creamy and sensual in texture with length to its red fruits. (93-96)
2016 Clos-de-Vougeot
The Clos-de-Vougeot displays good acidity to go with its raspberry fruit. The wine has length, power, and also finesse for a Cos-de-Vougeot. (93-96)
2016 Grands-Echézeaux
Interestingly, the Grands-Echézeaux was not badly affected by the frost, and so production is relatively good. The wine shows darker fruit than the Clos-de Vougeot, good tannins, length, and intensity. The fruit is typical of Grands-Echézeaux with a licorice overtone. (94-97)
2016 La Grande Rue
Finally, the monopole Grande Rue is light and even ethereal on the palate with great length and a silky texture. It should be outstanding and maybe great. (95-98)