Domaine Lignier-Michelot

Rich, glowing purple, the nose is filled with blackberry fruit, yet also a certain strictness. The palate reveals as much red as black fruit, with a good thread of mineral acidity and some tannin; indeed the structure is important with this wealth of fruit.

When Virgile Lignier came back from his brief summer holidays, he toured the vines and saw a bit of rot on a biggish (by recent standards) crop, so he took a substantial team round to remove damaged bunches and anything unripe. He picked the healthy grapes from 17th September and gave the new vintage a long but light extraction. He has made some very succulent, juicy wines here in 2014.

50 to 60-year-old vines from Chenevery, Cognées and Très Girard vineyards. Excellent mid-red purple colour. The balance of clay and limestone soils gives weight and a great sense of precision here. Again the persistence along with a touch of richness too.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

Virgile Lignier-Michelot, new to our offer this year, is very much a specialist in Morey-St Denis. Most of the wines are from his own vines and his typical formula is for 30% whole bunches in vinification and 30% new wood, though there may be a little more wood on the senior wines and some of the smallest cuvées are entirely whole bunch vinification.

Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Virgile went through the vineyards 15 days before harvest, removing the leaves on the south side and taking away anything that was rotten. This kept his crop in good condition so he could afford to wait for full ripeness, not starting until 11th October. He then practised very gentle extraction to keep the tannins supple. He compares 2013 to 2008 but with greater richness of fruit. The crop is 15-to-20% up on 2012 but still well below normal.

 

This sits just underneath Clos de la Roche and bears more than a passing resemblance to its neighbour. The 70-year-old vines produce tiny berries, giving great concentration of luscious blue fruit, plenty of power and a rocky, stony finish. A mini Clos de la Roche. Drink 2023-2030.

Having tasted numerous different wine styles Virgile decided he loves wines made with whole bunches, and has set about changing his winemaking to include a larger proportion each year, arriving now at a stage where he can’t imagine himself using less than 50 percent. His winemaking is consequently very gentle to avoid extracting harsh tannins from the stems. He began harvesting on 10th September, a little later than some neighbours as he waited for the stems to ripen. Virgile feels this is a vintage which has gained enormously from élevage, giving fine, elegant wines which will drink well early and age surprisingly well.

Situated next to Mazoyères, this has some of the explosive floral character of its neighbour, alongside intense fruit. The palate is rich and charming with layered tannin and balancing acidity. There’s a floral perfume to the finish that comes and goes. Excellent. Drink 2021-2026.

Having tasted numerous different wine styles Virgile decided he loves wines made with whole bunches, and has set about changing his winemaking to include a larger proportion each year, arriving now at a stage where he can’t imagine himself using less than 50 percent. His winemaking is consequently very gentle to avoid extracting harsh tannins from the stems. He began harvesting on 10th September, a little later than some neighbours as he waited for the stems to ripen. Virgile feels this is a vintage which has gained enormously from élevage, giving fine, elegant wines which will drink well early and age surprisingly well.

This is just below Charmes, but has a completely different soil type and expression. Here the soil is rich in limestone, which gives a more nervy and mineral style. Virgile used 100 percent whole-bunch, creating an intensely floral nose with notes of peony and rose petals. The palate has plump fruit, which fills out the middle before the rocky, chalky tannins cut through and leave a refined, pure finish. Drink 2022-2027.

Having tasted numerous different wine styles Virgile decided he loves wines made with whole bunches, and has set about changing his winemaking to include a larger proportion each year, arriving now at a stage where he can’t imagine himself using less than 50 percent. His winemaking is consequently very gentle to avoid extracting harsh tannins from the stems. He began harvesting on 10th September, a little later than some neighbours as he waited for the stems to ripen. Virgile feels this is a vintage which has gained enormously from élevage, giving fine, elegant wines which will drink well early and age surprisingly well.

Bright, mid-purple colour, this has a more linear, mineral nose, compared to the flesh of Les Charmes. Indeed this is quite chiselled by Virgile’s standards. The fruit offers a raspberry and fresh blackberry mix. The chalky soil shows in this very mineral wine, which has a delightful finish. Drink 2021-2026

When Virgile Lignier came back from his brief summer holidays, he toured the vines and saw a bit of rot on a biggish (by recent standards) crop, so he took a substantial team round to remove damaged bunches and anything unripe. He picked the healthy grapes from 17th September and gave the new vintage a long but light extraction. He has made some very succulent, juicy wines here in 2014.

From Très Girard (60 years old), Les Cognées (68) and the village section of Chenevery (70, just under Les Millandes), the deeper clay soils here give more density and also mean the wine shows less of the floral perfume found in Virgile’s other wines. It’s peppery and spicy with good density of fruit. Drink 2020-2025

Having tasted numerous different wine styles Virgile decided he loves wines made with whole bunches, and has set about changing his winemaking to include a larger proportion each year, arriving now at a stage where he can’t imagine himself using less than 50 percent. His winemaking is consequently very gentle to avoid extracting harsh tannins from the stems. He began harvesting on 10th September, a little later than some neighbours as he waited for the stems to ripen. Virgile feels this is a vintage which has gained enormously from élevage, giving fine, elegant wines which will drink well early and age surprisingly well.

Named after Virgile’s son, Bertin, this is a blend of Seuvrées, Creux Brouillard and Murots. The whole bunches (100 percent) add some floral notes to the slightly meaty, spicy, dark-fruited nose. The palate has wonderful purity of red cherry, with some violets before cleansing acidity rounds out the whole. Drink 2020-2025.

Having tasted numerous different wine styles Virgile decided he loves wines made with whole bunches, and has set about changing his winemaking to include a larger proportion each year, arriving now at a stage where he can’t imagine himself using less than 50 percent. His winemaking is consequently very gentle to avoid extracting harsh tannins from the stems. He began harvesting on 10th September, a little later than some neighbours as he waited for the stems to ripen. Virgile feels this is a vintage which has gained enormously from élevage, giving fine, elegant wines which will drink well early and age surprisingly well.

This lieu-dit just above Clos de Tart has a very cool, mineral terroir. This saw 80 percent whole-bunch  and 30 percent new oak. The nose is pretty, with a delicate lift and an energy which flows through to  the palate. Pleasant, medium-weight fruit is underpinned by a cool, chalky grip from the  limestone soil. Drink 2020-2024.

Having tasted numerous different wine styles Virgile decided he loves wines made with whole bunches, and has set about changing his winemaking to include a larger proportion each year, arriving now at a stage where he can’t imagine himself using less than 50 percent. His winemaking is consequently very gentle to avoid extracting harsh tannins from the stems. He began harvesting on 10th September, a little later than some neighbours as he waited for the stems to ripen. Virgile feels this is a vintage which has gained enormously from élevage, giving fine, elegant wines which will drink well early and age surprisingly well.