2014 Domaine Hubert Lamy Santenay Les Gravieres

Domaine Hubert Lamy was established in 1973 by Hubert Lamy, whose family has been growing grapes and making wine in Burgundy since the 17th century. In 1995 his son Olivier joined the business after earning a degree in viticulture and business. Together they added vineyards to the estate, and today domaine Hubert Lamy owns 46 vineyard acres divided among the appellations of Saint-Aubin, Puligny-Montrachet and Santenay. The estate makes primarily white wine, with 80% of its vineyards planted to Chardonnay and 20% to Pinot Noir. Lamy’s Grand Cru and Premier Cru white wines often earn scores in the high-90s. In 2012 Wine Advocate wrote that “Lamy is one of the great, not yet widely discovered domaines in all of Burgundy. Readers should do whatever they can to check out these fabulous wines.”

Santenay is the southernmost appellation in the Côte d’Or. The appellation includes the communes of Santenay and Remigny and it has 813 vineyard acres. Both red and white wines can be made within the Santenay appellation, though in practice about 85% of the wine produced here is red. Pinot Blanc may be used in white wines, though most white Santenays are 100% Chardonnay. Though there are no Grands Crus, Santenay boasts 12 Premiers Crus. Among the best Premiers Crus vineyards are Clos de Tavannes, La Comme, Les Gravières and Le Passe Temps. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “good Santenays share a robust, tannic, earthy character with a bouquet that suggests cherry and strawberry fruit intertwined with the smell of sautéed almonds.” Clive Coates has noted that the white wines of Santenay “should be crisp, medium-bodied and fruity, less racy but fuller than Saint-Aubins, perhaps with a touch of spice…”

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.