The 1.65-hectare La Grande Rue vineyard dates back to the 15th century and takes its name from the minor road bordering the vineyard as it climbs above the town. After La Romanée, La Grande Rue is the smallest of the Vosne Grands Crus. To say La Grande Rue is enviably situated is an understatement. It directly borders La Tâche to the south (it is the continuation of this vineyard) and La Romanée-Conti, La Romanée and Romanée-Saint-Vivant to the north (across a small road). The site first came into Lamarche’s hands in 1933, and it has been a monopole for this family ever since.
The style of wine can be thought of as a prettier, more delicate version of La Tâche, but we believe it comes closer to its northern neighbours in style, as Clive Coates MW suggests: “La Grande Rue, in my view, is a more feminine wine than La Tâche. It is closer to Romanée-Saint-Vivant.” As always, comparisons are problematic—La Grande Rue has its own personality! But it is also clearly a wine of great class. When you taste it next to the same producer’s Echézeaux, Grands Echézeaux and Clos de Vougeot (which are themselves superb examples of their respective Grand Cru vineyards), the sheer class and depth of La Grande Rue is self-evident.