2021 Domaine Nicole Lamarche Grand Cru La Grande Rue Monopole Cuvée 1959

This exceptionally rare wine made its debut in 2014. It comes from a small plot of vines that were exchanged with Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in 1959 so that DRC could complete the monopole of La Tâche and Lamarche could complete the monopole of La Grande Rue. Such an exchange is called remembrement (which basically means grouping land together). As Allen Meadows recounts in The Pearl of the Côte, Domaine François Lamarche traded seven parcels of Les Gaudichots (now La Tâche), totalling .0186 hectares, plus two lots of Echézeaux Clos Saint-Denis. In exchange, they received three parcels of La Grande Rue totalling .1013 ha and .0048 ha in Les Gaudichots. Apparently, no money exchanged hands. So, this wine is made from grapes that formed part of La Tâche from 1933 to 1959. More correctly, this area was known as Les Gaudichots ou La Tâche before the entire vineyard was made a Grand Cru in 1936. In a good year, the tiny slither of vines covers enough for Lamarche to make two barrels. Although the exact age of the vines is unknown, the vineyard has not been replanted since the exchange, so we’re looking at a century at least. In terms of winemaking, there are a few subtle differences between the two La Grande Rue cuvées. Lamarche tends to use a higher percentage of whole bunches for the Cuvée 1959 and ferments in tank rather than wood. The wine is then raised in a specific barrel from Cavin, called Aphrodite, made from 100% Châtillonnais oak cured for 36 months. One new barrel is purchased each year. The commentary suggests a wine that displays a little more tension, minerality and structure over the classic bottling of La Grande Rue. Nicole has spoken of a certain austerity in the young wine that reminds her of La Tâche. Regardless, it has become customary for Lamarche and DRC to exchange a few bottles of their respective cuvées each year. We have next to nothing of each vintage available.