Clos des Lambrays, Domaine des Lambrays 2023

Eleven different cuvées combine to form the 2023 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, with every square meter contributing to the blend, to quote Jacques Devauges verbatim (as an aside, this is the same philosophy at Cheval Blanc, which is also on LVMH's mantelpiece). This vintage includes 80% whole bunch and was raised in 60% new oak. The bouquet is very expressive with ebullient red berry fruit, tobacco, forest floor and subtle aromas of ceps. The palate is medium-bodied with fine yet firm tannins that lend backbone and gentle grip. This fans out with style on the sapid finish with a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. The 2023 ranks alongside the 2022 and may even surpass it. Prices have skyrocketed in recent years and priced out many Lambrays-lovers, but one cannot deny the quality.

This is the most floral-suffused nose in the range with its range of lilac, violet and rose petal nuances that add elegance to the black cherry liqueur scents. The middle weight flavors are not quite as dense but they are more mineral-driven and more powerful on the moderately austere, dusty and impressively long finale. This is clearly built-to-age but it's not so compact that it couldn't reasonably be enjoyed after 7 to 8 years.

The 11 plots were made separately and reunited just before the bottling. The terroir delimited in 1365 rests whole, with nothing declassified. Intense black purple with some glycerol legs. Sweetly dark fruit with the whole bunches hidden. A multitude of different red fruit notes speed across the palate and then the stems do show a little, gracefully, at the finish, along with some oak. As with La Richemone one can see that this vintage is not as concentrated as the previous one, but the wine has been beautifully made with rare distinction. Fine tannins to finish. Drink from 2033-2045.

The superb Clos des Lambrays is among the greatest wines from this commune in 2023. lt has aromas of pomegranate and ripe currants with notes of allspice and clove, and a distinctive note of peony and rose petals. The texture balances density of extract and grip with crisp acidity and an effortless energy. Jacques Devauges worked tirelessly in the vineyard to li mit yields in 2023 and ended up with a wine of concentration and depth. 80% of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters. Ecocert organic certification was achieved with the 2022 vintage.

There are 11 cuvées, all "reunited", as Jacques Devauges insists versus "blended", in the final wine. A remarkable 75% of the vines were planted in 1935 and 1898—the latter being the first post-phylloxera generation of vines. Another 22% were planted in 1980 and the rest planted in 2000. The 2023 is fabulously expressive. It has brawn, energy and patina—all the elements of a truly world-class wine. The architecture is imposing yet gracefully balanced. For every lick of tannic tug or spark of acidity, there is a countering pulse of pristinely ripe black fruits. It's not just a drink; it's an experience. Give this at least ten to 15 years, preferably far longer. This is one of my wines of the vintage.

Bright ruby colour in the glass. The nose is hyper floral and aromatic from this barrel sample, blending pressed rose and violet, sweet cherry blossom and a bass note of cherry cola from sweet, spicy oak. The palate, too, is led by floral tones and the texture is very glossy. The weight of tannin is there, but everything is cloaked by supple fruit and some quite spicy, sweet wood that will need a few years in bottle ot integrate. With air, you feel more notes of green peppercorn and dried herbs, the texture also tightening and showing the potential here. An impressive, if slightly showy, wine that has real depth, shows the vibrancy of the vintage and is built around florality.