Hubert Lamy - Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Frionnes Blanc 2020

Olivier Lamy is one of the rare burgundy producers who seems to be equally good at making red and white wine. He is endlessly experimenting and wants to achieve new heights in grape growing and winemaking. He is fanatic about pruning - where some growers might give up on a certain vine, Olivier will cut out diseased portions and coax a damaged vine back to health. This resurrected vine may only produce a few grapes but those grapes have such intense flavor.

Since 1995 he has been steadily increasing the vine density of his vineyards to 14,000 per hectare (compared to the standard density in Burgundy of 10,000; it's far less in other parts of the world). Some are planted at 4,000- 5,000 per hectare. He studied that before the phylloxera epidemic when vines were not planted in rows that vine densities were much greater - so he planted a section of one Saint Aubin vineyard at a density of 30,000 vines per hectare which puts great stress on the vines and reduces yields increasing flavor intensity, extract and acidity. He serves this wine last in a tasting.

There are no recipes at Chez Lamy - he harvests when the grapes are ripe which might be before or after his neighbors. He uses between 10-30% new oak at most but he may use none. The vineyards are farmed more or less organically but he will spray if he needs to fight mildew or oidium. These are uncompromising wines of coiled power and great tension - red or white.

“The 2020 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Frionnes is one of the more reserved wines in the range, unwinding in the glass with aromas of orange zest, confit citrus, crisp yellow apple and white flowers. It's medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with racy acids and a long, saline finish. Forget it for the better part of a decade in the cellar and reap the rewards, even if it will be approachable sooner. This is another strikingly good vintage for Olivier Lamy, whose tireless efforts over the last 25 years are now consistently delivering some of contemporary Burgundy's greatest wines. Whether it's cutting-edge viticulture, including plantings at over 20,000 vines per hectare and unhedged canopies; extended maturation on the lees, which now amounts to 24 months in total, 23 of those in largely neutral wood; obsessive attention to closures and bottling practices; or a host of other small details that, cumulatively, make the difference between the best and the rest, Lamy has spared nothing to get to where he is today. While his ultra-rare Haute Densité bottlings are now almost impossible to source, readers will still find it easy to secure his more modest cuvées. Forget them in the cellar for a decade and reap the rewards.” - 93 Points, Wine Advocate

“The 2020 Saint-Aubin Les Frionnes 1er Cru, a mix of 10- and 80-year-old vines, is elegant on the nose and quite refined. Touches of orchard fruit and white peach and just a hint of marzipan in the background that betrays the warm summer. The palate is well-balanced, very saline, taut and focused. Then, it clams down on the finish and orders you to come back in 3-4 years to see if it's ready for business.” - 92 Points, Vinous

“Made from vines of all ages, planted between 1935 and 2011. Lemon and lime colour. The bouquet shows a complex floral character, racy on the palate before deepening, perhaps as the old vines kick in. Some youthful bitterness. A little bit more hidden today but with considerable potential. Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted: November 2022.” - 91 Points, Jasper Morris

Producer: Hubert Lamy

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Varietal: Chardonnay

Appellation: Saint-Aubin 1er Cru

Vintage: 2020

Size: 750ml