2002 Domaine Francois Lamarche Vosne Romanee Les Chaumes

Domaine Francois Lamarche is a 28-acre estate in Vosne-Romanee. Its history dates to the early 19th century, when Henri Lamarche, a cooper, married Marie Grivelet from Chambolle-Musigny and the couple started making wine. Today the fifth and sixth generations of the family run the estate. Francois Lamarche is winemaker and his wife Marie-Blanche is in charge of sales. The estate has Grand Cru parcels in Clos-de-Vougeot, Grands Echezeaux, Echezeaux and Premier Crus in Vosne-Romanee and Nuits-St.-Georges les Cras. It also owns La Grand Rue Grand Cru, a 4-acre monopole.

Les Chaumes is a 16.1-acre Premier Cru vineyard in the Vosne-Romanee appellation of Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits. Located on the appellation’s southern boundary, it is just to the west of Aux Malconsorts. The slight slope of the vineyard makes for good drainage, and the soil is a rich mix of clay and alluvial soil.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.