Hubert Lamy, Santenay Clos des Hâtes 2018

Pinot Noir

Surrounded by Premier Cru sites, the ‘Les Hâtes’ vineyard is arguably one of the best village terroirs in Santenay. Lamy’s tiny 0.67 hectare plot is in the original Clos – the walled part of the vineyard.

The 2018 vintage has turned out brilliantly at this address, and I run the risk of exhausting superlatives if I attempt to articulate just how much I admire these wines. The resulting wines have turned out superbly, without doubt numbering among the finest the year has to offer. Olivier Lamy’s meticulous and thoughtful viticulture is a source of inspiration for other vignerons up and down the Côte: whether it’s his high-density plantings, his practice of rolling canopies rather than hedging him, or his almost manic worth ethic, where Lamy is leading, others will surely follow. In the winery, more foulage and longer press cycles are the order of the day, capturing more structuring—and refreshing—dry extract. Long élevage in barrels and demi-muids follows. And it would be remiss not to mention the domaine’s elegantly perfumed but impressively concentrated red wines, well worthy of attention in their own right. In short, this is one of the two or three finest sources of white Burgundy on the Côte de Beaune, and readers are warmly encouraged to acquaint themselves with these serious, thought-provoking wines.”

Robert Parker