Domaine des LAMBRAYS (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2023 Tasted from Tank and Barrel
Jacques Devauges said that harvesting began on 1 September with the whites, which we tasted first.
2023 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
This wine surpassed my expectations and entered into stunning territory. The wine is rich and unctuous with minerality, dension, and depth. (94-96)
2023 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret
Precise and focused, this wine is less rich than the Folatières and has a touch of bitterness on the finish. (93-95)
Harvesting for the reds took place from 7 to 15 September. Yields were 41 hl/ha notwithstanding a green harvest over the summer, echoing what other estates reported, that efforts to contain yields were not fully successful. Alcohols are 13.8º for the Clos des Lambrays, 13.4-14º for the other reds. All the premier cru wines are 40-50% whole cluster, the Clos des Lambrays is 80% whole clusters. Jacques described the malolactic fermentations as “super rapid.”
As you can see below, this is an outstanding set of wines.
2023 Morey-Saint-Denis
Fresh and pure with red fruits, good acidity, and minerality. This is what one thinks of as typical Morey-Saint-Denis. No whole clusters here. (91-93)
2023 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Loups
This is the second wine of Clos des Lambrays. It is richer in the nose and mouth than the village Morey, with red fruits, good freshness, balance, and minerality. (92-95)
2023 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos Baulet
The Morey-Clos Baulet shows darker fruit, although there is still some red present. It is medium-weight with good grip and length. (93-95)
2023 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos Sorbè
Fresh, pure and lively wine with red fruits and minerality. One can feel the thin soils in the texture of the wine. Lambrays has 1.15 ha of the 3.30 ha Clos Sorbè vineyard. (93-95)
2023 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts
This is a tremendous Beaux Monts with minerality and purity to its dark fruits. The wine is light, penetrating, energetic, and elegant. (95-97)
2023 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru La Richemone
Those who know the inside and outside of the Côte de Nuits know that Richemone is one of the great and underrated vineyards there. The wine is dark, round, pure, and enveloping with spices. 20% of the vines date to 1924. (94-96)
2023 Clos des Lambrays
This is top notch Clos des Lambrays with layered dark fruits, floral overtones, freshness, sensuousness of texture, length in the mouth, and a medium-weight body. The wine shows great complexity, harmony, and balance. (95-98)