Let me know if you’re shocked at such unsubstantiated drivel in these pages or whether you’d like to see much more 🙂
I’ve been storing up the rumours and other ‘non-announced’ changes for some time, so why not let’s run through a few of them – I can only get in trouble for suggesting such heresies!
The highest category of unconfirmed rumour:
(Right: La Grande Rue and La Tâche.) I recently visited Domaine Lamarche in Vosne – and what a beautiful range of 2020s Nicole Lamarche has produced!
Only afterwards, discussing my visits with others, was I exposed to the rumours of an imminent €800 million payment by LVMH for the domaine – this seemed to be corroborated by a second source who, according to them, noted that LVMH is currently interviewing for senior winemaking position for the Côte d’Or – assuming they are not looking for the 3rd head of Lambrays in 3 years and that Domaine Eugenié is remaining stable in its 15th year!
But from sources much closer (geographically) to Vosne-Romanée, it seems that maybe the domaine will actually be splitting without the intervention of LVMH’s financial largesse. La Grande Rue to Nicole Lamarche and all the remaining vineyards to Nathalie Lamarche – note that the domaine has labelled all the wines as Nicole Lamarche since 2018. Nathalie doesn’t have an ‘agricultural structure‘ so those who suggest that they are in the know are placing those remaining vines/appellations with Louis-Michel Liger-Belair in a fermage deal – let’s see – but it would be very good timing for his shiny new cuverie!
There remains the subject of the reported €800 million LVMH acquisition – if such a thing exists – which others suggest it still does – but they are now pointing their fingers in the direction of a famously under-performing domaine in Gevrey-Chambertin. Of course, if such sums of cash are to be believed, then it would have to be Gevrey’s biggest owner of grand crus – no?
And the following are not really rumours – there are simply no press-releases.
1. Domaine Bernard Moreau
For me, a doyenne of Chassagne. This domaine has been run for a number of years by the brothers Alex and Benoit Moreau. The split between the two, apparently, has been coming for a long time but with Benoit well underway building his new winery, possibly ready for the upcoming harvest, I’m awaiting some kind of confirmation on the way forward…
2. Domaines Duc de Magenta & Vougeraie
The Duc de Magenta’s choice slice of Chassagne, their 4.57 hectare 1er Cru Morgeot Clos de la Chapelle (Monopole), has been leased to Domaine de la Vougeraie from this 2021 vintage. The Magenta estate was 12 hectares, I’ve not heard that any other parts are on the move. It will be virtually the only wine in Vougeraie’s line-up that’s not certified organic – but they are already underway to start this (3-year) certification process.
There are 2 responses to “Well, it was too quiet today!”
Do you think it makes economical sense for a less prestigious domaine such as Lamarche to sell the crop or rent out their well placed vineyards to the likes of Liger-Belair or Méo who can sell the wine at a much higher price? I the early 2000s there were a lot of underperformers in Vosne and this question was always on my mind when I visited.
Cheers,
David
It makes great financial sense in the current pricing environment.
Assuming somebody like LMLB makes the wine and sells under his label, the prices would be more than double. Lamarche (Nathalie in this case) would earn as much in rent as before selling and making wine – without having to work – outside of doing her accounts, of course…
Bestest!
More unsubstantiated drivel, please! It makes wine life much more interesting than the boring news constantly reported in many leading wine magazines.