Domaine des Lambrays is a new addition to our printed offer although it is an estate which we have long followed. The domaine has been in the news recently, given the high profile purchase by the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey group. For now, the style and the quality that we have admired for long remains, with winemaker Thierry Brouin still at the helm, having overseen the quality of the wines for over three decades. It will, however, be interesting to see how the wines develop as further investment from LVMH is provided.
While the estate owns several Premier Cru and villages vineyards, from which several thousand cases are made, Clos des Lambrays is the pinnacle of their holdings. This vineyard became a Grand Cru in 1981 and the imposing stone walls of the vineyard actually forms the boundary of the village of Morey itself. Nine hectares of vines are situated on various soil types of which Francois has enviable parcelled holdings.
An interesting point is that the estate has a virtual monopoly on the Grand Cru of Clos des Lambrays, but with a tiny parcel of vines resolutely belonging to another of our producers, Romain and Virginie Taupenot-Merme.
Domaine des Lambrays, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru 2015
£900 per six bottles in bond
The 2015 exemplifies the quality that this Cru can achieve. Thierry attributes much of the this to two different terroir; the marne soils, higher altitude and somewhat cooler temperatures of the upper vineyard contributing finesse, and the loam and chalk soils of the lower part providing power and body on the wine’s palate. This 2015 certainly displays a very fine perfume of cassis and spice that is so typical of Morey-Saint-Denis with a rich, deep, structured body. It will spend approximately 18 months in oak, of which half is new French barrels, to add complexity and ensure all the wine will remain well knit. This is a potent, powerful wine that will age and develop impeccably over the next few decades. Drink 2022-2045
2023 Burgundy: The Nuits-St Georges of Domaine Lécheneaut
The domaine has, yet again, produced some excellent wines and I have never quite understood why they don't sell for more than they do given the fine quality.
Allen Meadows, burghound.com, January 2025
Could these be the most appealing wines yet from Domaine Lécheneaut? Allen Meadows tastes a serious quantity of Burgundy every year (and for many years) and even he observes, commenting on the 2023s, I have never quite understood why they don't sell for more than they do given the fine quality. Domaine Lécheneaut continues to offer astonishing value. We have long championed the wines of Vincent and Philippe Lécheneaut for this very reason. You get a lot of Burgundy for your money at this address. No fevered fadish fanaticism driving prices to 'impressive' heights. Instead just quiet, under the radar appreciation of vines well-tended and wines carefully crafted. Across the entire range, from Hautes Côtes de Nuits to Clos de la Roche, the wines show tremendous typicity, whether between the different villages or between Premiers Crus. Ever since we began offering these wines, we have marvelled at the incredible balance and harmony that the Lécheneaut family achieve, year-in-year-out in their wines. They have richness but also grace. They have power yet poise.The Lécheneauts are thoughtful, sensitive, attentive wine producers. They adapt to the vintage and remain highly attuned to their vineyards and their vines. As we have written on numerous previous occasions, we were directed to them on account of their meticulous viticulture. It has only become more meticulous with time as vintages continue to present new challenges in ways that could not have been envisaged by their forefathers.The 2023 season was labour-intensive, if you wanted to avoid enormous yields. The Lécheneauts remove buds very early in the cycle as standard practice in order to control yield. In 2023 they also had to drastically green harvest, removing bunches, at later points. They harvested from 8th September but, due to the heat, they only picked in the mornings and then held the fruit in cold rooms to bring the temperature down to 5 degrees Celsius before allowing fermentations to begin. The fruit itself was clean, healthy and ripe, something that comes across noticeably in the wines. There is also noticeable depth of colour; there was no whole bunch in 2023, instead 100% of the fruit was destemmed, as this was what they felt the vintage dictated. Indeed Jasper Morris comments on this, highlighting also the balance, elegance and harmony of this set of wines, writing: Such deep powerful colours, but in the end wines which consistently come across as much more refined on the palate.In the words of Vincent himself: As to the wines, it's interesting as they seem to have become more interesting month by month. As such, I hesitate to put them in a box but at this point in their evolution, I would describe them as resembling our 2017s but with more underling material. But also like 2017, the '23s should be approachable young but have no difficulty aging.I think I would have to agree, there is an appealing approachability to the 2023s yet they do not lack a core of beautifully ripe, fresh fruit allied to fine structure and that beguiling harmony. They will certainly drink well early, much like the 2017s, but they will age gracefully too. And all without breaking the bank.Domaine Lécheneaut, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2023£120 per 6 bottle case in bondNow 100% aged in 450 litre barrels. Really fresh and flowing red fruit with a gentle mineral touch. Good balance and elegantly weighted palate. Lovely fruit and drinkability. Drink 2026-2030 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Côte de Nuits-Villages, Clos de Magny 2023£150 per 6 bottle case in bondFrom a parcel of 70–80-year-old vines. There is a pure core of dark cherry fruit on the nose. The palate shows a lovely sense of precision and freshness together with a balancing mineral energy. Good fruit intensity at its core and a white stone drive at the end. Drink 2026-2033 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Morey-St Denis 2023£210 per 6 bottle case in bondThere is a notable and characteristic spicy touch on the nose, blue fruit and a touch of pepper. Excellent purity and harmony through the palate. This is consistently such a beautifully balanced and well-expressed Morey villages from the Lécheneaut family. It always retains a sense of energy and persistence due to the vineyard position high up the slope above the Grands Crus. Drink 2027-2035 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Chambolle-Musigny 2023£250 per 6 bottle case in bondInitially quite closed but opening to a core of scented, floral red cherry fruit. The palate replicates the fruit of the nose, all carried on a palate of silky poise. Fresh, flowing, elegant, and with a perfectly judged chalky grip towards the finish. The tannins show finesse and there is a fine sense of harmony. Drink 2027-2035 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Nuits-St Georges 2023£210 per 6 bottle case in bondShowing really well again in 2023, the Nuits-St Georges villages displays a pristine fruit purity of dark cherry and raspberry fruit. There is a seamless quality here with fine-grained tannins framing a classically styled Nuits of underlying presence and over-riding harmony, with most of the fruit being form the northern, Vosne side, of Nuits. Drink 2027-2035 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Nuits-St Georges, Au Chouillet 2023£240 per 6 bottle case in bondTighter, more closed but also more concentrated than the straight Nuits-St Georges, the Chouillet is pure and intensely concentrated in its red fruit profile. There is a fluidity and a gracefulness through the palate, on which the tannins present themselves with great finesse. Drink 2027-2035 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Nuits-St Georges 1er Cru, Les Damodes 2023£360 per 6 bottle case in bondBeautifully pure ripe fruit leads into a palate that has an elegant flow and sense of balance, the tannins are fine and ripe, giving a framing structure but not asserting. Instead, this remains fresh, elegant and gourmand. Drink 2028-2038 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Nuits-St Georges 1er Cru, Aux Argillas 2023£360 per 6 bottle case in bondThere is a noticeably deeper colour in the Argillas, which Jules Lecheneaut explains is due to the high susceptibility to millerandage, giving a proportion of particularly small grapes within a bunch. The resultant concentration of fruit is complemented by spice notes. This is intense and rich in fruit but perfectly counterbalanced by its poised structure. “Best ever” as some might say… Drink 2028-2038 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Nuits- St Georges 1er Cru, Les Pruliers 2023£360 per 6 bottle case in bondOn the day of tasting, Les Pruliers was particularly reticent and difficult to taste, like Les Pruliers of old. Underneath there was fine red fruit and the benchmark Pruliers mineral power and energy. This will be very good but needs time. Drink 2030-2040 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru, Borniques 2023£480 per 6 bottle case in bondThere is a good depth of colour, again due to a susceptibility to millerandage. Lovely scented sweet dark cherry fruit. Balanced volume and a silky freshness to the palate, which shows fine mineral length and presence. Fine poise. Really good. Drink 2028-2038 (ROM)Domaine Lécheneaut, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2023£600 per 3 bottle case in bondFine concentration of blue fruit and spice. This is subtly powerful and spreads across the palate with beautifully expressed, concentrated fruit. The tannins are very, very fine and give structure while mineral direction gives length. Gently mouthwatering at the end but also very mineral and saline. Finishes with incredible persistence. Drink 2028-2040 (ROM)
Another joyously successful set of wines from Domaine Lécheneaut and ones that will give great drinking pleasure within a few short years even if they will keep for many years too.Please let us know of your interest.Richard O'Mahony, January 2025richard.omahony@atlasfinewines.com
2023 Burgundy: The Chassagne-Montrachet of Domaine Morey-Coffinet
2023 Burgundy: The Chassagne-Montrachet of Domaine Morey-CoffinetThe Morey-Coffinet style is for relatively fine-boned white wines.Jasper Morris MW, insideburgundy.com, December 2024
There is a lot of noise at this time of year, when the new Burgundy releases come onto the market. It can be hard to pick your way through the numerous offers. At Atlas, we focus on a tight group of domaines that have impressed, and continue to impress, us with the quality of their wines and the value they offer.Historically, we have felt obliged to drop estates whose prices have shot up out of kilter with reality, or where quality has proved to be less than consistent. It is our aim to ensure the Burgundian domaines that we represent deliver quality and value for our clients.Domaine Morey-Coffinet may not be a familiar name to many, but the following is growing and rightly so. We have been increasingly impressed by Thibault Morey's wines over the last four or five years; he is one grower who has adapted his viticultural and winemaking approaches to retain elegance and poise in his wines in the face of more challenging conditions in modern day Burgundy. We predict a bright future for this Chassagne-Montrachet domaine and would encourage our clients to benefit from buying these wines as soon as possible, before demand starts to influence price.Thibault Morey is possessed of a calmness and serenity that seem to infuse his beautiful range of Chassagne-Montrachet, which show such a strong sense of harmony and a pristine purity. As Jasper Morris writes above, these are fine-boned white wines. I would agree. There is something magically refined and elegant about the Morey-Coffinet wines, an ability to retain a purity and precision that flies in the face of the warmer vintages we are seeing. In his crypt-like cellars, I tasted a 2019 and a 2017 En Caillerets; both warm vintages, both wines that showed near piercing purity and mineral energy, with all of that already-mentioned harmony.Domaine Morey-Coffinet was established in 1980 by Thibault's father Michel, who was married to Fabienne Coffinet. She herself was from the combined winemaking families of Cecile Pillot and Fernand Coffinet. Some combined heritage then! The estate now covers 9 hectares almost exclusively within Chassagne-Montrachet itself. Under Thibault, viticulture has become increasingly respectful and sensitive, with organic certification granted in 2018 and biodynamic principles espoused since 2015. Much of the ploughing is done by horse - or by electric tractor. Sheep roam the vineyards after harvest in the autumn. In terms of wine-making, the fruit undergoes a long, slow pressing with minimal sulphur use before fermentation and ageing in generally larger oak vessels and in amphorae. Everything is done to maintain fruit purity, to maximise vineyard expression and to retain elegance and tension.The reds too should not be underestimated. Les Chaumes comes from two parcels of 50 year old vines while the Clos Saint Jean is from a 0.2 hectare plot behind the family home at the top of the village. The latter was originally an orchard but was planted with Pinot Noir in the 1970s. In the words of Jasper Morris: Great choice! The fruit is attractively pure with a sensual finesse and unobtrusive tannins.Morey-Coffinet continues to impress with its crystalline whites and its flowing, beautifully balanced reds all of which express their vineyards with an effortless grace.Behind that calmness and serenity there is unmistakeable passion and an obsessive drive to produce wines that reflect and communicate a land respected. These are exceptional wines and continue to offer exceptional value for Burgundy of this quality.Domaine Morey-Coffinet, Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge, Les Chaumes 2023£180 per 6 bottle case in bondScented pure red fruit. Aromatic. Healthy. Mineral palate – focused, tensile. Good red fruit and white stone finish. Fresh and finessed with good vibrancy and energy. A value pick. (ROM) Drink 2027-2035Domaine Morey-Coffinet, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Rouge, Clos St Jean 2023£300 per 6 bottle case in bondElegant cherry fruit nose. Really pure. Mouthwatering palate with a clean mineral presence. Structured elegance. Soft-skinned fruit quality on late palate – cushioned, layered, silky – yet still with a stony grip on the finish. Very good. (ROM) Drink 2027-2035Domaine Morey-Coffinet, Chassagne-Montrachet 2023£245 per 6 bottle case in bondLovely ripe, white stone fruit and citrus notes. This is all about harmony and drinkability but with tension and direction. Excellent, as we have come to expect from Thibault Morey. Tremendous freshness and energy at the end. (ROM) Drink 2026-2032Domaine Morey-Coffinet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Les Houillères 2023£300 per 6 bottle case in bondThe nose seems to promise a certain mineral tension. Ripe, fresh citrus and peach notes are supported by a subtle creamy touch also. The palate is fruit-filled and mouth-watering with an appealing grip towards the end. Gentle but persistent mineral length, as promised. Showing the quality derived of 60 to 70-year-old vines. (ROM) Drink 2026-2032Domaine Morey-Coffinet, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, En Cailleret 2023£390 per 6 bottle case in bondTight and closed. Creamy peach and pear notes emerge. Soft, ripe, fresh orchard fruit. Pure fruit and energy. The palate shows a touch of citrus as well as the same soft white stone fruit notes. Lovely tension at the end but with a richness of juicy fruit and a pithy grip. On the long finish there is poise and restraint allied to a focused purity. (ROM) Drink 2027-2035Domaine Morey-Coffinet, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, La Romanée 2023£435 per 6 bottle case in bondFrom a single parcel just below the forests at the top of the hill above Chassagne and vines planted in 1957. Currently more expressive on the nose than the Cailleret. Yellow citrus and peach. Subtlety and dynamism. The palate is taut and tensile through the middle. Very fine and focussed. Great persistence with a touch of promising youthful austerity. (ROM) Drink 2027-2035Domaine Morey-Coffinet, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru, Les Pucelles 2023£660 per 6 bottle case in bondVery pure, very classic white flower aromatics together with yellow and green citrus. Lovely sense of tension beneath the ripe, fresh fruit. Beautifully focused and linear in a very positive sense. Excellent energy with mineral presence emerging towards the end. Great persistence and energy, typical of this leading premier cru that adjoins Batard-Montrachet. (ROM) Drink 2028-2038SOLD OUTDomaine Morey-Coffinet, Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2023£990 per 3 bottle case in bond (very limited availability)Gentle toast notes. Creamy fruit but quite withdrawn at the moment on the nose. The palate is tight and focused with the fruit fanning out on the mid-palate with the finish showing all the quality of a Grand Cru with astonishing persistence. (ROM) Drink 2028-2038Another very fine set of wines from Thibault Morey and Domaine Morey-Coffinet. Looking forward to hearing from you at richard.omahony@atlasfinewines.com
Richard O'Mahony, January 2025
Domaine Sylvain Cathiard most certainly deserves its high reputation for the astonishing quality and terroir expression realised by the eponymous Sylvain Cathiard in his range of Premiers Crus in Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-St Georges (amongst other wines). There is similarly little doubt that his son, Sebastien, has further fine-tuned these already beautiful wines. Sebastien has pushed some boundaries and has learnt quickly in the recent hot and dry vintages. The learning outcomes are clearly evident in these 2023s and I would have to agree with Steen Ohman, quoted above.What is perhaps most interesting is that Sebastien has expanded the domaine with now not insignificant holdings in the Hautes Côtes de Nuits. The hills above Nuits-St Georges have become an area of keen interest to many forward-thinking producers. Here they can craft wines that retain a cooler fruit profile in the warmer conditions. Since the 2019 vintage Sebastien has been applying his skill and expertise in these increasingly valued terroirs. In much the same way that the domaine has highlighted for many years the different typicities of adjoining Vosne Crus, so Sebastian is now starting to showcase the variety and typicity of a number of Hautes Côtes crus. Chaumes and Les Dames Huguette show, with increasing clarity, the distinct and distinctive terroirs of these two adjoining but different vineyards. More recently there is a straight Hautes Côtes de Nuits, which is almost entirely from the cru Pièce Dame Marie, a single vineyard in the centre of Villars-La-Faye, where Sebastien lives; it cannot be labelled as such since it also contains a tiny amount of wine from two other vineyards. Pièce Dame Marie, just like the other two other parcels in Villars-La-Faye, has deep soils with a reasonably high proportion of clay which lends itself to a 'gourmand' style of wine - flowing, harmonious, pure fruited. Chaumes has a small amount of clay but predominantly limestone soils and is situated on a plateau above the stretch of some of the greatest Nuits-St Georges Premiers Crus from Les Pruliers to Les Saint Georges itself. Les Dames Huguette is an extension of Chaumes as it begins to drop down the slope to these same vineyards. The soils of Les Dames Huguette are poorer and thinner still than those of Chaumes and thus yield wines of pronounced mineral tension, while the character of Chaumes sits somewhere between the other two Hautes Côtes cuvees.In short, these three wines are a testament to the long-standing Cathiard commitment to exposing the character of a given vineyard and expressing it in wines of immense pleasure and drinkability with all the hallmark pristine fruit and silky texture we have come to expect. Chapeau! as they say.Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Coteaux Bourguignon, Les Croix Blanches 2023£180 per 6 bottle case in bondGently creamy berry fruit on nose and into palate. Supple, clean, fresh, with a lovely chalky touch to the finish. (ROM) Drink 2026-2029 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Bourgogne Rouge 2023£240 per 6 bottle case in bondVibrant, crunchy red fruit. Chalky mineral white stone touch at end. Gently juicy and showing lovely balance and harmony. (ROM) Drink 2026-2029Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits 2023£255 per 6 bottle case in bondBeautifully clean, fresh red fruit with appealing notes of spice too. The fruit vibrancy carries through to the palate, where it is underpinned by a gently balancing mineral touch. There is an overriding sense of harmony in this cuvee that shows the benefits of its Hautes Côtes location in these warmer vintages in achieving a cool ripeness and a seamless drinkability. A fine illustration of the Cathiard style. (ROM) Drink 2026-2032Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, Aux Chaumes 2023£270 per 6 bottle case in bondFresh red fruit on the nose and a more mouth-filling, palate-coating texture with a juicy red fruit length. Lovely ripe, grippy tannins support the good core of elegant fruit behind. This and the Dames Huguette are really now finding their feet in their fifth vintage under Sebastien. (ROM) Drink 2027-2033Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, Les Dames Huguette 2023£280 per 6 bottle case in bondMore floral and with a sense of white stones. The palate continues in this vein, showing in a more tensile way than the other two Hautes Côtes wines. Here instead there is a gravelly grip and a saline length to the red fruit. A distinctly more mineral and linear style than the broader, more supple Chaumes, though both now showing the impact of Sebastien’s attention to detail. (ROM) Drink 2027-2033Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Gevrey-Chambertin 2023£450 per 6 bottle case in bondOne third of a hectare. First vintage 2019. Pure fruit profile with dark, forest fruit to the fore. Purity on the palate with grippy, pippy dark berry fruit as well as a lighter flowing touch of redder fruits. Fine balance and fluidity with a perfect cut of gravelly stony tannins at the end. Such poise. (ROM) Drink 2027-2035Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanée 2023£510 per 6 bottle case in bondThere is an immediate sense of poise and elegance in this village Vosne. Red and black fruit with a silky flow to the palate. Such wonderful balance and drinkability. There is an even greater sense of fruit purity than usual for this cuvee and a fine mineral persistence, which nevertheless allows the fruit to shine. (ROM) Drink 2027-2035Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Chambolle-Musigny, Les Clos de l’Orme 2023£540 per 6 bottle case in bondBeautifully fragrant red fruit with floral cherry notes. The palate shows such purity and elegance – flowing, balanced, fresh, long. Ripe red fruit returns on the finish. Crystalline. (ROM) Drink 2027-2035Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Nuits-St Georges 1er Cru, Aux Thorey 2023£970 per 6 bottle case in bondClassic Thorey in an elegant vein. Pure, well-defined and -expressed red fruit. Seamless flow through the palate with the lean, taut, mineral drive at the end. A gentle, juicy dimension comes back at the end with a mouthwatering red fruit and saline quality. A really fine Thorey. (ROM) Drink 2028-2040Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Nuits-St Georges 1er Cru, Aux Murgers 2023£1,050 per 6 bottle case in bondWhile the fruit here is currently restrained and contained, it is pure, ripe and healthy. The mid-palate is flowing and elegantly expressed. The finish nevertheless has all the power of the site and incredible persistence. This is a very fine Murgers, balancing power and poise in an exemplary Nuits-St Georges 1er Cru. (ROM) Drink 2028-2040Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru, Aux Reignots 2023£1,950 per 6 bottle case in bondThere is a cool sense of ripeness to the Reignots with fine, focused red fruit. The palate shows a concentration of juicy fruit and there is an incredible mineral precision. This is taut but not lean. Mouthwatering and moreish, displaying fine fruit concentration and persistence. (ROM) Drink 2028-2043Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru, En Orveaux 2023£1,950 per 6 bottle case in bondThe nose shows the ripeness and concentration of the old vines of this parcel. There is a spicy touch too. So mineral and deeply yet restrainedly powerful. Such controlled power and persistent mineral presence. (ROM) Drink 2028-2045Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru, Les Suchots 2023£2,250 per 6 bottle case in bondThe nose intimates a richness and voluptuousness of style. The palate delivers. There is a wealth and breadth of velvet-textured red and darker berry fruit. This is all about the texture and is supported by long, fine, ripe tannins. (ROM) Drink 2028-2045Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru, Aux Malconsorts 2023£2,850 per 6 bottle case in bondThe nose shows a restraint of red fruit – concentrated, pure, mineral. A subtly juicy and mouthwatering palate of ripe fruit is carried by a saline, gently mineral persistence. It is the length that sets this apart and confirm its status of first among equals. Beautifully ripe, integrated tannins. Not a hard edge in sight despite an underlying power. (ROM) Drink 2028-2045Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Romanée-St Vivant Grand Cru 2023£3,600 per 3 bottle case in bondOn the nose, there is an immediate sense of a profoundly deep fruit core. This follows through to the palate, where there is a density and intensity to the fruit that is clearly Grand Cru. The tannins are powerful yet ripe and integrated giving a balanced mineral grip. Tensile yet generous. Mineral yet fruit laden. (ROM) Drink 2028-2048Please also be aware that these wines are only available in very, very limited quantities and that demand outstrips supply by a significant percentage each year, with long-standing followers prioritised. Nevertheless, please do let us know of your interest and we will do our best to help you acquire some wines of this highly-respected domaine.Richard O'Mahony, January 2025
