St Aubin’s brightest shining star: Olivier et Hubert Lamy

As I wind my way into the valley directly behind the much heralded villages of Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet, I am struck by a sense of entering a more pastoral landcape;  it feels as though I have entered humbler farm country, without the regal trappings garnered over the millenia by Chassagne and Puligny, the most celebrated soils for Chardonnay in the world.  I arrive here, the sleepy and intimate hamlet of St Aubin.  It feels somewhat timeless, beyond the hustle and bustle of the world, somewhat forgotten in the shadow of bigger names and historical prestige of its neighboring villages.  The wines of St Aubin, however, are well known and celebrated among Burgundy connoisseurs for delivering the same signature qualitites and soils that define truly noble white Burgundy, at prices that don’t include the prestige surcharge.   And of all of the growers of St Aubin, there is one that is universally recognized as the brightest rising star, not only of St Aubin, but perhaps in all of white Burgundy: Olivier Lamy.
The Lamy family, grape growers since 1640, have run their St Aubin domaine since 1973, when father Hubert first began bottling.  Son Olivier, fresh from his studies and having taken in experiences of wines the world over, took over the domaine in 1995; it is here that the ascent of the domaine really begins.  The family acquired numerous parcels in the 1990s in some of St Aubin’s greatest terroirs: Derriere Chez Edouard, Clos de la Chateniere, Murgers des Dents de Chien, Clos de Meix, and En Remily.  The single hillside which contains all of the village’s vineyards is quite steep, with a variety of decomposed limestone soils, with an ideal south/southeast exposure.  Olivier methodically changed most of the domaine’s viticulture and vinification processes, including denser vine planting, lower yields, and the use of larger 300 and 600 L demi muids.  Steadily and surely, virtually the entire world of wine has noted the progessive improvements in richness, cut, mineral intensity, and compelling balance.  Here are a few of these praises:

“This is a very dynamic domaine, on the top of its game right now, and there are a great many St Aubin 1er crus in the cellar here that are at least as stunning as well known 1er cru bottlings from Chassagne, Puligny, and Meursault, and the value that these wines currently offer make them amongst the most exciting white Burgundies to be found on the Cote.”
–John Gilman’s View From the cellar Sept/Oct 2011 
“This is a fabulous set of wines from Olivier Lamy. From top to bottom, I can’t think of a single wine I wouldn’t be thrilled to drink. Simply put, I can’t recommend these wines highly enough.”
–Antonio Galloni of Parker’s Wine Advocate, Sept 2011
“Three Stars.  Among the 10 greatest producers in Burgundy . Olivier Lamy is a ‘grand vigneron’ of tomorrow.”
–Bourgogne Aujourd’hui 
“The Domaine Lamy wines were amongst the most consistently superb that I have tasted from any estate of this vintage and clearly must be ranked up at the very pinnacle of 2009 white Burgundies.“
-John Gilman’s View from the Cellar Sept/Oct 2011

And the wines:

2009 Puligny Montrachet villages ‘les Tremblots’ – $35 in half bottle 90 points Burghound, 90 Galloni, 91+ Gilman
“The Lieu Dit of Tremblots is located on the Chassagne Puligny border, just below Enseigneres on the slope.  Olivier Lamy has old vines in this parcel, with one section 40 years of age and the other 70 years of age, making for one outstanding Puligny AC cuvee.  The 2009 offers up a really lovely and racy nose of apple, white peach, spring flowers, a complex minerality, vanillin oak and a touch of almond in the upper register.  On the palate, the wine is deep, full bodied, pure, and very racy for a 2009 white Burg, with a great core of fruit, snappy acids and outstanding focus and mineral drive on the long and classy finish.  Very high class juice, and a stellar value.  2014-2035.  91+ points.”
2009 St Aubin 1er cru ‘Derriere chez Edouard’ rouge – $49 
“Very mild reduction knocks down the expressiveness of the otherwise pretty and ripe red berry fruit and wet stone infused nose. The rich, cool and equally stony middle weight flavors possess an abundance of dry extract that renders the firm tannins to the background on the moderately austere and impressively persistent finish. Lovely quality here and this is quite stylish as well.” 91 points Burghound
2009 St Aubin 1er cru ‘Derriere chez Edouard’ blanc – $49 92 points Gilman, 91+ Tanzer, 91 Burghound
“The 2009 St. Aubin Derriere Chez Edouard is another tightly wound wine. Layers of white peaches and pears come together nicely as the wine blossoms on the mid-palate and finish. There is wonderful precision in the glass. The balance of fruit, acidity and structure is first-rate. This is a fabulous wine from Lamy.” 92 points Galloni

2009 St Aubin 1er cru ‘les Frionnes’ – $49 92+ points Gilman, 91-92 Tanzer, 91 Burghound
” Bright yellow.  Crushed stone, orange peel and grapefruit on the nose.  Round and sweet but light on its feet, with considerable complexity to its citrus and crushed rock flavors.  Very fine-grained, ripe and long, with sappy acidity giving lift to the aftertaste.” 91-92 points Tanzer
2009 St Aubin 1er cru ‘En Remilly’ – $59 93+ points Gilman, 92-93 Tanzer, 92 Burghound, 92 Galloni

 ” Bright pale yellow.  Very ripe, subtle aromas of lemon, orange and stone.  Sweet, fine-grained and energetic, combining a creamy, sun-drenched character with excellent inner-mouth lift.  Orange and mineral flavors saturate the palate on the very long, strong finish.  A great Saint Aubin in the making.”92-93 points Tanzer

2009 St Aubin 1er cru ‘Derriere chez Edouard’ cuvee ‘Haute Densite’ –$119 95 points Gilman, 93 Galloni, 93+ Tanzer
“The 2009 Haute Density is a flat out brilliant wine of stunning aromatic and flavor complexity, soaring from the glass in a blaze of orange, pear, spring flowers, brilliant minerality, citrus zest, and just a hint of oak.  On the palate, the wine is deep, full bodied, and extremely long and mineral, with electric intensity, snappy acids, and great length and grip on the seamless and zesty finish.  A brilliant, brilliant bottle of 1er cru St Aubin that would have no difficulties holding its own against the very best premier crus from Puligny, Chassagne, and Meursault! 2015-2040.  95 points” John Gilman’s View from the Cellar

I think that everyone that I have turned onto these wines has been flat out impressed, novice and verteran alike.  The completeness of the wines is readily apparent; i’m thrilled to represent them……..If you’d like to check any of these out, contact me at rob@downtoearthwines.net.  The fantastic 2010s are also confirmed, due to arrive in late fall; inquire if interested.
Cheers to the Lamy family, and the stunning work they yield from these steep slopes!