La-Grande-Rue

We cannot remember tasting a young Grande Rue as magisterial as this, which shows itself to be head and shoulders above the rest of this excellent range. Impressively rich purple in colour, this offers a very pure nose, with great intensity and there is plenty of structure behind without dependence on new wood. Astonishing length of flavour, really complex as well. The nobility of this wine really stands out in 2012.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

Nathalie Lamarche recalls that the harvest began on 22nd September with acceptable yields in the Vosne-Romanée vineyards, about the same as for 2011. In vinification Nicole Lamarche uses a small proportion of whole bunches, while the amount of new wood in the barrel cellar has been reduced to a maximum of 50% for the Grands Crus. This is the best selection of wines that Nicole Lamarche has produced since taking control of the winemaking in 2007. In short, a really fine range.

A pure, fresh, deep purple, this has suggestions of great class on the nose, but nothing really wanting to give. Then it has amazing suavity on the palate, with good structure behind but the fruit dominates the tannins easily. Very long, pure, red fruit and blood orange on the finish. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Harvest began 6th October, the grapes in surprisingly healthy condition given the weather, allowing Nicole to use some whole bunches. There is a tiny bit more wine than in 2011 and 2012 but a really poor flowering reduced the crop and spun out the flowering. In vinification, Nicole opted to extract less than in other years. The Grands Crus are sold in wooden cases.

This monopoly of Domaine Lamarche sits between La Tâche and Romanée-Conti. The bouquet of the 2009 La Grande Rue Grand Cru is absolutely stunning, displaying intense, yet refined red fruit, overlaid with some new oak in perfect harmony. Little waves of flavour float across the palate and soft, charming red fruit is backed by a delicious fresh finish with acidity and tannin perfectly integrated. This is not a blockbuster but it is exceptionally fine. Expect a long future.

The long thin strip of La Grande Rue, the Lamarche monopole, is the ham in the sandwich between Romanée-Conti and La Tâche. There was no frost here at all. The impression now is of something meatier, stronger, richer, but also layered and detailed. In the final analysis, ineffable. A worthy conclusion to a beguiling flight of wines. Drink 2025-2040.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

Domaine Lamarche today produces 14 different wines from 11 hectares. Ancestors of the Lamarche family were already living in the village of Vosne-Romanée in 1740, though the domaine was really established in the early 20th century. Henri Lamarche, born in 1903, received La Grande Rue in 1933 as a wedding present. Henri was succeeded by his son François and now his granddaughters; Nicole in charge of winemaking and Nathalie on the marketing side. As well as more meticulous work in the vineyards, better barrel selection and a new cuverie (since 2000) have combined to make this a fine and consistent domaine. This was a vintage to truly deliver Nicole Lamarche’s ambitions. Already on a road to make the most delicate, ineffable expressions of Pinot Noir – organic, unfined and unfiltered – this year the quality and health of the fruit has allowed her to eschew new oak as well. There is a policy to use 30 percent whole-bunch throughout the range. For Nicole this is a spiritual vintage, the quintessence of Pinot Noir, whose core she has tried to express through the extraordinary collection of terroirs she has under her, and her cousin Nathalie’s, stewardship. But, tragically, frost has reduced the domaine’s total yield by half and their Les Suchots was practically wiped out with an 80 percent loss.

This is bright, full purple, with magical detail in the bouquet. The intensity is clearly there, albeit restrained. The wine is backward but nonetheless indicates a sensation of multi-layered detail beneath the pure red fruit background. There are subtleties of texture here too. The wine is currently showing its oak but that will integrate easily enough. The wine has attractive points of acidity, rather than tannin, to complete the balance. Drink 2025-2038.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

The Lamarches began on 10th September, picking over six days and realising better yields than in 2014. This year Nicole Lamarche has been able to make exactly the wines which she wants to make, avoiding deep extraction while using around 30 percent whole bunches. Do not expect dark colours and overt concentration, but if your taste is for elegant, floral, eventually ethereal wines then this is the place to be.