Domaine des Lambrays

The Domaine des Lambrays is located in Côte de Nuits, in the municipality of Morey-Saint-Denis. It has an overall surface area of 11 hectares, including 8.70 hectares dedicated to the famous Clos des Lambrays. It is divided into three climates or distinct geographical areas: the “Meix Rentier”, “Les Larrets” and “Les Bouchots”, with a minimum altitude of 220 meters and a maximum altitude of 350 meters.

The estate also has vineyards around the Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, Morey-Saint-Denis and Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru appellations, as well as around the Puligny-Montrachet appellation in Côte de Beaune, in the premiers crus Les Folatières and the Clos Cru Cailleret appellations.

The vineyards are cultivated according to reasoned culture principles, so no insecticide or fertilizers have been used for more than 20 years.

The harvest is done manually using small 20 kg crates, followed by sorting and severe selection of grapes before their placement into tanks. The winemaking process is traditional, with whole grapes being deposited in open vats. The pressing is pneumatic and the aging is done during approximately 18 months in 228 l barrels, 50 % of which are made up of new wood. The bottling is done in the property without fining or filtration.

When the property was bought by LVMH in 2014, the luxury group decided to work hand in hand with the estate manager Thierry Brouin, who had started working for the Clos des Lambrays in 1979 and is responsible for the flourishing of the estate. Now retired, he remains one of the company’s key elements, sitting on the board of directors.

To succeed him, the group chose Jacques Devauges. After a remarkable passage at Clos de Tart between 2015 and 2019, where he converted the entire property to organic farming and initiated the biodynamic certification process, Jacques Devauges is now in charge of the Clos des Lambrays and goes a step further with his attention to detail and to the quality of the wines.

It is in 1365 that the name of an estate called “Cloux des Lambrey”, located in Morey, appeared for the first time in the property deeds of the Abbey of Cîteaux. The name of the locality St Denis was not attached to the name of Morey-Saint-Denis village until the 15th century.

The reconstruction of the large land plot exploited at present began in the 19th century, with the work of the families Joly and Rodier, rich merchants from Nuits Saint Georges. The different stages of the parcelling process are visible in maps kept at the estate. In 1938, the estate passed into the hands of the Cossons, a Parisian family. He was a banker in Paris and she was a sculptor, so they let the estate fall asleep and the vineyard gradually collapsed to give tiny yields in the 70s (around 10 hl/ha). In 1979, the estate was sold to Roland de Chambure and the Saier brothers and, in 1996, to the Freund Family of Koblenz. LVMH, the current owner, bought the Clos des Lambrays in April 2014.