La-Grande-Rue

The nose of this wine is sensational, very high class as ever, with a touch of refined oak. The wine displays very lifted fruit and is long and delicious with exceptional persistence. La Grande Rue is coming into its own in Nicole’s hands.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director The bad news at Domaine Lamarche is that the 2011 crop is actually less than 2010. We have done our best to keep prices stable, though the price of La Grande Rue has deservedly increased this year. Everything else is good news; Nicole Lamarche, assisted by her cousin Nathalie, is steadily growing in assurance, delivering an excellent set of wines this year. She continues to reduce the amount of new wood used while the vineyards, which are now farmed organically, are getting the care and attention that they need. The future is in good hands.

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Its refined and un-insistent colour is characteristic of the rest of the range, while the nose is discreet offering a variety of red fruits, including raspberries, which suggests intensity while remaining subtle. This is wonderfully full on the palate, still in its own restrained way, so that you have to let it come to you. But there is a dancing, ethereal magic nonetheless. It needs longer in barrel.

Sadly there is no more wine here than in 2013 after a poor flowering. Nicole Lamarche picked from 16th September until the 22nd, reporting no problems in vinification or élévage and opting for a light touch in vinification, noting that each wine is very different from the others this year. This is another fine range from the Lamarches, offering sensible value for money.

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.