2023 Dm des Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, Burgundy

There are 11 cuvées, all "reunited", as Jacques Devauges insists versus "blended", in the final wine. A remarkable 75% of the vines were planted in 1935 and 1898—the latter being the first post-phylloxera generation of vines. Another 22% were planted in 1980 and the rest planted in 2000. The 2023 is fabulously expressive. It has brawn, energy and patina—all the elements of a truly world-class wine. The architecture is imposing yet gracefully balanced. For every lick of tannic tug or spark of acidity, there is a countering pulse of pristinely ripe black fruits. It's not just a drink; it's an experience. Give this at least ten to 15 years, preferably far longer. This is one of my wines of the vintage.

98 points Tim Aitken MW

leven different cuvées combine to form the 2023 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, with every square meter contributing to the blend, to quote Jacques Devauges verbatim (as an aside, this is the same philosophy at Cheval Blanc, which is also on LVMH's mantelpiece). This vintage includes 80% whole bunch and was raised in 60% new oak. The bouquet is very expressive with ebullient red berry fruit, tobacco, forest floor and subtle aromas of ceps. The palate is medium-bodied with fine yet firm tannins that lend backbone and gentle grip. This fans out with style on the sapid finish with a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. The 2023 ranks alongside the 2022 and may even surpass it. Prices have skyrocketed in recent years and priced out many Lambrays-lovers, but one cannot deny the quality.

96-98 points Vinous

The 11 plots were made separately and reunited just before the bottling. The terroir delimited in 1365 rests whole, with nothing declassified. Intense black purple with some glycerol legs. Sweetly dark fruit with the whole bunches hidden. A multitude of different red fruit notes speed across the palate and then the stems do show a little, gracefully, at the finish, along with some oak. As with La Richemone one can see that this vintage is not as concentrated as the previous one, but the wine has been beautifully made with rare distinction. Fine tannins to finish. Drink from 2033-2045. Tasted Nov 2024.

95-98 points Jasper Morris MW Inside Burgundy

Clos des Lambrays is one of Burgundy’s great walled vineyards, a Grand Cru monopole that has quietly built a reputation for combining depth with remarkable finesse. Domaine des Lambrays has always leaned toward elegance rather than sheer power, and under recent stewardship the wines have become even more refined, focusing on purity, texture and a strong sense of place.

The 2023 is deeply expressive without ever feeling heavy. Aromatics unfold slowly and with incredible detail, black cherry, wild raspberry and blood orange layered with rose petal, Asian spice and a gentle earthy note. With air, more complexity emerges, tea leaf, forest floor, crushed stone and a faint smoky nuance that sits beautifully in the background.

There’s an almost seamless flow to the wine. Tannins are incredibly fine but persistent, giving shape and tension rather than obvious grip, while acidity carries everything with quiet energy. The fruit feels both concentrated and weightless, and the finish just keeps extending, spice, florals and mineral notes lingering long after the glass is down.

This is where the wine becomes unforgettable with food. Pigeon with cherry and pepper sauce would be stunning, but it’s equally beautiful with porcini risotto, roasted Jerusalem artichokes with brown butter, or a truffle laced pasta where the wine’s earthy and floral notes seem to echo through the dish. Even a perfectly aged comté alongside it feels like enough.

Still very young and only just beginning to reveal itself, though the balance and structure here suggest an effortless twenty years or more ahead.

There’s a calm authority to this wine, nothing exaggerated, nothing forced, just layer upon layer of detail unfolding at its own pace.