2016 Domaine Hubert Lamy Bourgogne Blanc Les Chataigners

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.”

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.