At a glance

Producer

Domaine des Lambrays

Region

Morey-Saint-Denis, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France

Grape variety

Pinot Noir

Wine type

Red

Body

Medium-bodied and Earthy

Sweetness

Dry

Typical price

$350-$600 USD (as of 2024, depending on provenance and bottle condition)

Tasting profile

Aromas of dried cherry, stewed strawberry, forest floor, sous bois, leather, spice. Faded red fruit, earthy tertiary notes, resolved tannins, soft acidity. Medium body, elegant but fragile.

Evolution: Started with robust ripe fruit and tannin, evolved towards greater earthiness and softness; in advanced maturity now.

At peak: Most bottles are past their best; those well preserved offer complex tertiary layers but diminished primary fruit.

Structure

Acidity

Medium, now softer with bottle age

Tannins

Fully resolved, fine-grained

Alcohol

Moderate (13-13.5%)

Aging potential

Limited; 2003 was a warm vintage, so wines are drinking window is earlier than classic years. Immediate consumption advised; minimal further aging risk.

Drinking window

Peak drinking

2014 to 2040

Optimal window

2011 to 2043

Current status

Ready to drink

Current condition

Advanced maturity, showing tertiary development. Notable risk of decline, with some bottles likely already fading.

The extremely hot, dry 2003 vintage accelerated tannin ripening and resulted in an earlier drinking window for Clos des Lambrays. Bottles stored under pristine conditions can retain elegance and complexity, but the vast majority are best consumed promptly before tertiary notes fully overtake remaining fruit.

Food pairing

Roast duck, game birds, mushroom risotto, truffled poultry, aged Gruyère or Epoisses cheese.

Serving

Decant

Not required

Sustainability

Sustainability score: 6/10

Viticulture focused on reduced chemical inputs, use of cover crops, hand harvesting, and responsible vineyard management. Limited intervention in cellar. No major renewable energy or advanced packaging initiatives reported for this vintage.

In 2003, Domaine des Lambrays was among several Burgundy estates prioritizing sustainable farming but had not achieved formal organic or biodynamic certification. Environmentally sensitive practices were in place (reduced pesticides, attention to soil and water management), but without the broad transparency or carbon-reduction initiatives that are common in top estates today. Shipping from Burgundy to global markets contributes to a moderate-to-high carbon footprint typical of old-world fine wines.