“How does he do it?” Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
One of Burgundy’s best-kept secrets is barely a secret anymore. Olivier Lamy is making some of the purest and most mineral white Burgundies of the Côte (and some damn handy reds)—and demand now far exceeds supply. For those more interested in what’s in the bottle than what’s on the label (in terms of the commune), the wines of Domaine Hubert Lamy offer some of the most exhilarating white wines in Burgundy. Those who know the wines will already know that Olivier (winemaker here and son of Hubert) is one of the most respected white wine producers across the Côte, producing racy, intensely mineral and floral whites of the highest quality. These are wines that showcase the very best aspects of St Aubin’s rocky, bony, chalky soils. They are “l’eau de Roche” as the French like to say.
A pioneer of high-density planting and Poussard pruning amongst many other things, Lamy’s attention to detail and innovation in the vineyard is now an inspiration to knowledgeable growers across the Côte and even the world.
Olivier took over his family Domaine from his father Hubert in 1995. He immediately stopped supplying négociants and the following year, grubbed up or sold off under-performing vines and vineyard sites, and kept only the best and oldest vineyards for the Hubert Lamy wines. Not many know that Olivier worked with Henri Jayer and Meo Camuzet in the early 90s where he experienced many quality practices that he then brought back to his Domaine. Lamy, therefore, became one of the very first producers to introduce the kind of stringent quality controls in the Côte de Beaune that started off in the Côte de Nuits. For example, this was one of the first Domaine’s of the Côte de Beaune to introduce sorting tables (in the early 90s).
Meanwhile, in the cellar, he continues to refine his work to maximise the ever-increasing quality he is capturing at harvest time. Currently, most of his barrel inventory is 600-litre demi-muids, including some Stockinger. A recent advancement has seen Olivier working with foulage (where grapes are crushed before they are pressed) and longer press cycles, “in order to obtain the right texture” and bring more dry extract and structure to the wines.
And when it comes to mitigating the impact of climate through work in the vineyard, Lamy is far ahead of the curve. In simple terms, the attention to detail and innovation, higher densities that provide greater shading of both soil and fruit and, in general, the slavishly hard work in the vineyard are of course key.
AT-A-GLANCE
• This formidable Burgundy grower is based in Saint-Aubin, a village nestled between Chassagne and Puligny. • The Lamy family traces its Saint-Aubin roots back centuries, but the domaine was established in 1973. • Since 1995, it has been run by second-generation Olivier Lamy. • The estate covers 18.5 hectares of mostly Chardonnay vines (small plantings of Pinot Noir). • Holdings are predominantly in Saint-Aubin, with modest parcels in Chassagne, Puligny and Santenay, plus a prime slice of Grand Cru Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. • Viticulture is organic in practice, soils are limestone-rich, and planting densities are very high–often 14,000 vines/ha and up to 30,000/ha in some plots; yields are consequentially quite low. • White vinification includes barrels, occasionally Wineglobes and no new oak; reds incorporate 50-100% bunches and, again, no new oak. • The wines are in high demand and sold on allocation. • Occasionally, we receive an allocation of large-format bottlings.
IN THE PRESS
“Sometimes I contemplate what I think might be the easiest way to make enemies in Burgundy: A Michelin Guide-style ranking, out of three stars, of the region's best domaines. Olivier Lamy would be one of three white wine producers in the Côte de Beaune to whom I would unquestionably award three stars. Last year, I wrote that I ran the risk of exhausting superlatives if I attempt to articulate just how much I admire these wines, and this year is no different.” William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
“… one of the best winemakers in the Côte de Beaune.” Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate
Country
France
Primary Region
Côte de Beaune
People
Winemaker: Olivier Lamy
Availability
National