Hubert Lamy 2023
I still remember the first time I drove to Saint-Aubin . It was before the days of reliable GPS, so I kept checking the map—again and again—just to be sure I was on the right road. Olivier Lamy greeted me in mud-caked boots and with a grin that never left his face. He spoke faster than my French could follow; at the time, he was thrilled about the high-density plantings in Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet as he had just begun to see results. I recall him saying he had begun planting some of his other parcels with this high density approach that naturally limited yields. I’ll never forget the passion and intensity with which he spoke about harvesting “on acidity” and letting the limestone “do the talking.” His words were those of a man who clearly had a vision.
Almost two decades later, that vision is reality: Lamy’s wines are coveted by collectors around the globe. You could argue he put Saint-Aubin on the map.
Start with the village white “La Princée,” which offers the first glimpse of Domaine Lamy’s magic—think punchy Meyer-lemon zest, white flowers, and a salty snap that makes it impossible to sip slowly. Climb a notch to 1er Cru “Les Frionnes,” and the fruit turns riper—poached pear and a wisp of hazelnut—wrapped around a core of stony minerality. The monopole Clos du Meix adds a velvet layer you can practically chew, while Derrière Chez Édouard (a portion of which is planted to 30,000 vines/ha!) fires a laser beam of citrus and crushed oyster shell straight through the finish. Every time I taste it, I hear Olivier chuckle, “Petit Grand Cru, non?”
There was a time when the Puligny-Montrachet “Les Tremblots” didn’t get much love, but through Olivier’s meticulous vineyard work he has nursed those old vines (planted 1946–1970) to a level worthy of their pedigree. It’s no wonder critics now routinely score this cuvée with far more famous names—deep-set pear and almond cream ride a wave of chiseled tension. Over in Chassagne, “Le Concis du Champ” feels sleeker and more floral, offering quince, verbena, and a brisk, almost minty lift that will keep roast chicken (or fennel-roasted sea bass) company for years to come.
La Princée is a village-level cuvée that showcases the elegance and mineral cut of Saint-Aubin in a more accessible form. The 2023 vintage, shaped by a relatively balanced growing season, delivers aromas of white peach, citrus zest, and wet stones. On the palate, it’s bright and lively, with a core of orchard fruit and a saline edge that reflects its limestone-rich soils. This wine is a textbook introduction to the precision and purity Lamy achieves in his whites.
From one of Saint-Aubin’s cooler premier cru sites, Frionnes tends to produce wines of finesse and lift. The 2023 is no exception, marked by its floral nose, notes of lemon oil, and crushed oyster shell. The palate is sleek and linear, offering tension and drive, with a whisper of almond and chalk on the finish. It’s a wine that speaks clearly of its high-altitude origins and will reward short-term cellaring.
From the climate below Derrière Chez Edouard, where the limestone is hard and the soils quite red, the 2023 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Clos du Meix is one of the chalkier, more chiseled wines in the range, offering up reductive aromas of pear, apple and wheat toast, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and racy palate.
— William Kelley, 91+
Perched at one of the highest elevations in Saint-Aubin, Derrière Chez Edouard yields wines of exceptional energy and clarity. The 2023 vintage opens with pure scents of lime blossom, flint, and fresh herbs. It’s tightly coiled on the palate, with crackling acidity and a crystalline minerality that gives the wine a firm spine. This is one of the estate’s most cerebral and ageworthy bottlings.
Les Tremblots lies just beneath grand cru vineyards and delivers a level of refinement and depth that rivals more exalted names. Lamy’s 2023 rendition is layered and graceful, with aromas of white flowers, hazelnut, and crushed rock. The palate is generous but taut, with pulsing citrus fruit and a cool, stony character. It captures the tension between Puligny’s classic poise and the freshness of the vintage.
This lieu-dit sits in the northern part of Chassagne, near the border with Puligny, giving it a mineral-driven edge that sets it apart. The 2023 is aromatically expressive, showing ripe citrus, stone fruit, and faint spice. Broad yet refined on the palate, it balances richness with a polished structure, finishing with lingering notes of chalk and lemon curd. A serious, nuanced expression of Chassagne terroir.
