1978 Cosson Clos des Lambrays

Clos des Lambrays has a highly unusual story. The Morey St.-Denis vineyard was not elevated to Grand Cru status until 1981. The 22.1-acre vineyard had been a renowned Premier Cru in the 1930s and 1940s, but fell into disrepair a few decades later. Most of the vineyard was sold in the late 1970s to the Saier brothers, who replanted the vineyards. Today Domaine des Lambrays, owned by Gunther Freund and his wife, controls 21.65 acres of the vineyard. Jean Taupenot-Merme owns the remaining tiny parcel. The vineyard is the highest of all the Morey St.-Denis Grand Crus and it faces north and east. Clive Coates has noted that “the Freunds…have been unstinting in attention to detail to promote the quality of the wine.”

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.

Monopole; not classified as Grand Cru until 1981