About Domaine François Lamarche
The Lamarche family bought La Grande Rue in stages during the 1930s, a narrow strip of vineyard that runs up the slope between La Tâche and Romanée-Conti. It stayed a premier cru until 1992, when it was promoted to grand cru, and the domaine owns every row of it. The rest of the range covers Grands Echézeaux, Echézeaux, Clos de Vougeot and Vosne-Romanée premier crus including Les Suchots, Les Malconsorts and La Croix Rameau. Nicole Lamarche took over winemaking in 2007 with her cousin Nathalie and moved the estate towards organic farming, and the wines have gained clarity since.
La Grande Rue has the best neighbors of any vineyard in Burgundy. Our Vosne-Romanée Wines and Grand Cru Wines pages cover the estates on either side, and Burgundy Wines holds the wider selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is La Grande Rue?
A grand cru monopole of about one and a half hectares owned entirely by Domaine François Lamarche. It sits directly between La Tâche and Romanée-Conti, both owned by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and was raised from premier cru to grand cru in 1992.
Why was La Grande Rue promoted so late?
The vineyard had the site but not the paperwork. The family applied for grand cru status and it was granted in 1992, more than fifty years after the surrounding vineyards were classified.
Who makes the wine at Lamarche now?
Nicole Lamarche, who took over from her father François in 2007. She has since converted the vineyards to organic farming and the wines from her tenure are generally rated well above those of the previous generation.
How long do Lamarche wines age?
La Grande Rue and the grand crus usually want twelve to fifteen years and hold for decades. The Vosne-Romanée premier crus open earlier, from about eight.