2014 Santenay Blanc, Clos des Gravières, 1er Cru, Domaine Hubert Lamy, Burgundy

Fine, bright and pure, with a very fresh nose of apple and conference pear, this is currently very backward yet still displays exceptional density, a brilliant mineral thread and exceptional persistence. There’s a little touch of fennel in with the fruit.

Olivier Lamy went through his red vineyards three times before the 2014 harvest to remove any damaged berries, which especially posed a risk on the clay soils. The white crop, meanwhile, was superb, with healthy grapes and a respectable yield; picking began on 12th September. Olivier notes excellent definition between the different terroirs, which he says is typical of a cooler year. He plans to give the whites a slightly longer élevage than usual, while using minimal new oak, about 10 percent for the Premiers Crus.