DOMAINE DES LAMBRAYS
BURGUNDY, FRANCE 2023
WHY BUY: These wines have mesmerized connoisseurs across the centuries, and the 2023 portfolio — from the transcendent 98-point Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru to a series of 95-point Premier Crus that deliver breathtaking power, elegance, and persistence — show exactly why Burgundy’s hallowed Domaine des Lambrays is universally regarded as the "Crown Jewel of the Côtes de Nuits” … and why it remains one of our most treasured “black book" estates, year in and year out delivering the kind of wines that remind us all why we fell in love with Burgundy in the first place. Quite simply, Burgundy at its most deeply rewarding.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Vinous’s Neal Martin came away from his tasting of the Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru in admiration, awarding a potential 98 points and praising its "medium-bodied" character with "fine yet firm tannins" that create "gentle grip"and noting how it "fans out with style on the sapid finish with a liberal sprinkling of black pepper," declaring it "ranks alongside the 2022 and may even surpass it." Decanter gave 95 points to both the "ethereal” and “lovely” Clos Sorbè and the Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret (a “superb” wine with "a firm, mineral underpinning" and "marvelous depth work" leading to "a lingering finish”). The Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru "Les Beaux Monts” earned praised from Martin for its "beautifully pure bouquet with dark cherries, blueberries and violet scents,” with the critic declaring it, in his 95-point review, "more complex than the 2022, with graphite and hints of marmalade toward the weighty finish."
OUR TASTING NOTES: Throughout the range, you'll find the hallmark precision and energy that makes these wines so compelling, and so age-worthy. The structural integrity suggests these wines will evolve beautifully over decades, though, thanks to the sterling purity of fruit, they're surprisingly approachable even now. Among the Premier Crus, each site expresses its unique character brilliantly. The Clos Sorbè shows its ethereal nature with red fruit precision and remarkable freshness. Les Beaux Monts captivates with its evocative and lingering bouquet of dark cherries and blueberries, enhanced by 40% whole bunch fermentation that adds layers upon layers of complexity. The whites from Puligny-Montrachet demonstrate exceptional tension and minerality; the whole-cluster pressed Clos du Cailleret impressed us, in particular, with its firm mineral underpinning and marvelous depth. Finally, we have the ultimate expression: the Grand Cru Clos des Lambrays, blending eleven different cuvées with 80% whole bunches, delivers waves of black fruit complexity, undergirded by that unmistakable limestone minerality.
THE STORY: The long and epic chronicle of Domaine des Lambrays stretches back to 1365, when Europe was still emerging from medieval darkness and the Renaissance remained a distant dream. The Cistercian monks of Abbaye de Citeaux, who first recorded the "Cloux des Lambrey," had discovered something remarkable about this picturesque slope in Morey-St-Denis. At the estate's heart lies the legendary Clos, where three distinct terroirs merge into something transcendent. Les Larrets, perched on precipitous slopes with threadbare topsoil, contributes elegance and grace; Le Meix-Rentier, nestled at the hillside's foundation with richer earth, delivers backbone and authority; and Les Bouchots, kissed by the cooling winds of the Morey Combe, adds intricacy and depth. The magic of this terroir sustained a region and a people all the way until the French Revolution, which shattered everything, scattering ownership among 74 different holders. Reassembling these fragments required nearly a century of determined effort, but all who were involved in this act of painstaking recovery understood that this terroir constituted a regional treasure and, perhaps, a national one, too. When France established its first appellations in 1936, Clos des Lambrays received Premier Cru status, though its most ardent devotees had long recognized that the wines were of Grand Cru caliber. Justice finally prevailed, in 1981, when Burgundy's 33rd Grand Cru was named. More than four decades later, the domaine remains one of Burgundy’s most glittering jewels.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH: As you might expect, these reds are at their shimmering best alongside classic Burgundian dishes like coq au vin or beef bourguignon, or wild mushroom preparations. The white wines, meanwhile, are a perfect match for fish and seafood preparations, the creamier the better, or a wedge of ripened, aged Comté.
FUN FACT: The estate's garden features a magnificent cedar tree that's over 300 years old, meaning it was already a century old when the vineyard was reassembled after the French Revolution.
OUR GUARANTEE: We always buy and source directly from the estate, so you can rest assured that your wine will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Secure your order today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2026. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, KY, MI, NE, NY, OK & TN. This offer will expire on Thursday, December 25th, 2025.