Domaine François Lamarche, Grand Cru La Grande Rue (Burgundy, France) 2011

($387, Jeanne Marie de Champs Selection): La Grande Rue, squeezed between La Tache on one side and La Romanée, Romanée Conti and Romanée St Vivant on the other, is the least renown (and hence, the least expensive) of the famed Grand Cru of Vosne-Romanée.  Similar to La Tache, La Romanée and Romanée Conti, it is a monopole — that is, owned by only one Domaine.  It’s quintessential Grand Cru Burgundy:  Explosive but without weight or heaviness.  Sure, it has spice, fruit and earth, but what makes it exceptional is its impact despite its delicacy.  It’s not a powerhouse, but yet it’s captivating.  It shows that Grand Cru Burgundy is not all about power.
95 Michael Apstein Nov 10, 2015