Saint-Aubin La Princée 2023 Hubert Lamy | Burgundy

Hubert Lamy 's cuvée de Saint-Aubin La Princée is the quintessential Saint-Aubin finage. This flagship of the wine estate's range is a blend of ten or so cru communal parcels. The Chardonnay vines, planted between 1985 and 2000, sink their roots into light, very stony clay-limestone soils, where deposits of shell limestone are found in places. The highly draining nature of this typical Burgundy substratum, the steep slope of the western side of the village of Saint Aubin, and the south to southeast exposure of these cooler, later-ripening hillsides all favor slow, steady ripening and preserve the freshness of the wines. Domaine Hubert Lamy concentrates the expression of the terroir with careful soil work, controlled yields and a very long alcoholic fermentation, which for this cuvée extends over almost 90 days in barrels and demi-muids. This is followed by 15 months' ageing on the lees in oak barrels, resulting in a Saint Aubin of a complexity far superior to its rank as a cru communal.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Hubert Lamy 's Saint-Aubin La Princée stands out as an appellation benchmark for its precision, limpid profile and structuring tension. This emblematic Domaine Hubert Lamy cuvée sums upOlivier Lamy 's approach to sublimating Chardonnay from limestone terroirs. With such presence, complexity and ageing potential, this communal cru far exceeds its rank, and easily rivals some 1er Crus !

On the nose, this Saint Aubin La Princée unfolds a floral and fruity register where apple, pear and white flowers mingle, frank and delicate. Aromas of citrus fruit and candied zest provide a lively framework, joined by the patina of ageing, with notes of brioche and toasted dried fruit. As the wine opens up, a few honeyed inflections combine with the chalky, iodized minerality of the terroir.

The palate asserts a straightforward structure, carried by a salivating tension and a slender body. Flavors of white fruit and citrus are enhanced by hints of brioche and honey, while the saline minerality prolongs the lingering finish with accents of citrus and pure stone.