2017 Clos des Lambrays, Grand Cru, Domaine des Lambrays, Burgundy

The 2017 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru opens in the glass with expressive aromas of sweet berry fruit, plums and orange rind that mingle with nuances of forest floor, smoked meats, cedar and spices. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and open-knit, with succulent acids and moderate concentration, concluding with a nicely defined finish. I expect this to flesh out a little as it bounces back from bottling.Drink 2022 - 2048William Kelley, Wine Advocate (January 2020)

60 m difference in height between the top and the bottom of the Clos. 50% new and 50% second-use barrel. 90% whole bunch (some years 100%). Will be racked to tank at the end of December. Once in cuve it is stable so there is no hurry to bottle. Must have at least a month in tank to stabilise so they will bottle February –April. Bottling best in March or October – never too cold or hot. No filtration. They bottle with descending moon when the wine is more still. Beautifully, darkly aromatic with plenty of peppery spice. Woody rather than oaky. There’s freshness from the tannins as well as from the acidity and the texture is so silky on the mid palate yet with power on the finish. Refined, flowing, dry and long. Handsome beauty and so easy to taste even with the underlying intensity and power. There’s just a very slight hint of stems but not OTT. Dark elegance. julia_harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, (January 2019)

Here too there are whiffs of herbal tea, floral and spice influences on the essence of red berries that is trimmed in soft wood and earth nuances. Once again the mouthfeel of the medium-bodied flavors is beautifully sleek thanks to the dense but fine-grained tannins shaping the attractively refreshing, youthfully austere and strikingly long finale where the only concern is a hint of dryness. My sense is that the dryness is related to the abundant gas and thus my predicted range offers the benefit of the doubt. 2032+ allen_meadows, burghound_com (January 2019)

The 2017 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru was picked September 3–11 and includes 90% whole bunches in this vintage, matured in 50% new oak. Two tanks were chaptalized and the alcohol is around 13.5°. This has a classic Clos des Lambrays bouquet, quite understated at first, precise but tightly coiled. There is fine purity here. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit laced with tobacco and graphite and a fine line of acidity. Not the most persistent Clos des Lambrays that has ever been made, but perhaps one of the most elegant and poised. Neil Martin, Vinous.com.com (January 2019)

The 2017 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru unfurls in the glass with complex aromas of plums, cassis, dark chocolate, warm spices, licorice and rich soil tones, delicately framed by new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and satiny, with a fleshy core of fruit, succulent acids and powdery tannins. My intuition is that this will turn out to be both a little more concentrated and a little more structurally giving than the 2016 rendition. William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (January 2019)

Leafy, autumnal and complex, with soy and liquorice and a toasted, smoky finish. Fibrous tannin, pure fruit, excellent length. It's not floral, but there is an elegance here. Superbly persistent – just doesn't quit. Excellent expressiveness, this has the magic of Burgundy.Drink 2020 - 2040richard_hemming_mw, JancisRobinson.com (May 2022)

There are whiffs of herbal tea, floral and spice influences on the essence of red berry aromas that are trimmed in soft wood and earth nuances. The mouthfeel of the medium-bodied flavors is beautifully sleek thanks to the dense but fine-grained tannins shaping the attractively refreshing, youthfully austere and long finale that is quite linear rather than rich. This should further flesh out with bottle age though that will require at least some cellaring.Drink from 2029 onwardallen_meadows, burghound_com.com (January 2020)

The 2017 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru has a very detailed bouquet of gorgeous red currant, cranberry and mineral aromas, plus a touch of tobacco in the background; quite leafy in style. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine backbone, quite firm and slightly powdery in texture. Focused with good grip on the sappy, overtly peppery finish. This is an excellent Grand Cru. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.Drink 2025 - 2048Neil Martin, Vinous.com.com (September 2021)