Domaine Francois Lamarche - La Grande Rue Grand Cru Monopole - 2017

“Beautiful pink red colour, with enough density. The fragrance is very special here. Delicate but complex, intensely floral, not notably fruity. It is all in red fruit, ripe enough though the descriptors may be more red cherry and even redcurrant. There is a little acidity in the background but it doesn’t dominate. The barrel char does show through. Tannins present but fine-grained, just adding their necessary structural support. Overall this works very well in the incontrovertible Lamarche style. Long and fine aftertaste.” 94-97 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy “This is also quite floral with its array of violet, lavender and rose petal wisps that add considerable elegance to the very pretty mix of black pinot fruit, sandalwood and lovely spice elements. The mouthfeel of the medium weight plus flavors is finer than those of the Grands Echézeaux if not quite as powerful or muscular, all wrapped in a wonderfully long if slightly warm and austere finale. This is a big but balanced example of LGR and should age effortlessly.” 93 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound.com “La Grande Rue often seems to show a little reduction at this stage in its élevage and that's the case here. As one of only five monopole grands crus in the Côte d'Or, this 1.65ha parcel is a special site and has produced an intriguing wine that combines flavours of mint, cranberry and raspberry framed by subtle oak and filigree tannins.” 94 points, Tim Atkin MW, Decanter “The 2017 La Grande Rue, the famous 1.65-hectare monopole of the domaine that runs parallel to Romanée-Conti and La Romanée, offers attractive crushed strawberry, raspberry, rose petal and wet limestone aromas on the nose. This is not as intense as the 2016 but very focused and delineated. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry, replete with filigreed tannin and a refreshing sense of salinity that becomes more marked toward the finish. This feels linear and almost strict at the moment, but it will gain more depth during the remainder of its barrel maturation. Excellent.” 92-94 points, Neal Martin, Vinous