DOMAINE HUBERT LAMY, France
Sadly, Hubert passed away in October 2022 and will be sorely missed. The fine quality of his wines has helped to enhance dramatically the standing of Saint Aubin, where it can now be mentioned in the same breath as its more celebrated neighbouring appellations of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet. Driven and hardworking, Olivier is one of the first to understand that most of the work has to be done in the vineyard. The signature racy styling with great acidity and length remains to the fore, always punching well above their weight. They will age well due to their fine balance. The reds offer deep, ripe yet well-manicured tannins with good bright, fresh red fruit character alongside.
Viticulture
In May, Olivier performs debudding to reduce yields, followed by a “passillage” (a de-leafing technique) in June when needed to improve airflow and help prevent disease in the vineyards. A second green harvest takes place in August, where only the healthiest grape bunches are left on the vines. The vineyards are managed without the use of chemical fertilizers. The domaine has also replanted sections of its Saint-Aubin Premier Cru Derrière chez Édouard vineyard with a significantly higher vine density—up to 30,000 vines per hectare, which is nearly three times the usual planting density in Burgundy. This denser planting reflects traditional methods used before vineyard mechanisation became common with the introduction of tractors in the early 20th century. Olivier believes that this approach encourages smaller, more concentrated berries, enhancing flavour intensity.
Winemaking
White wine grapes are immediately pressed whole using a pneumatic press, and the juice is allowed to settle before being transferred to barrel. Fermentation takes place in 300- or 600-litre barrels aged between one and five years. To enhance complexity, the whites are fermented in a separate, temperature-controlled cellar, where fermentation is slowed over about 90 days. The wines are then racked the following August and aged in barrel for 12 to 18 months before bottling, depending on the vintage and cuvée. For the red wines, the grapes are fully destemmed and undergo a 20-day maceration, with extraction techniques adjusted according to the vintage. The reds are aged in barrels that are between one and three years old and typically bottled after 12 to 18 months of aging.
