2015 Morey-St Denis, Les Chaffots, 1er Cru, Domaine Hubert Lignier, Burgundy
Critics reviews
Neal Martin - 28/12/2016
About this WINE
Hubert Lignier
The story here has become complicated. Hubert Lignier put this domaine on the map with a series of impressive vintages made in a forthright, concentrated style with both oak and extraction evident but not abused. In due course his talented son Romain took over, fine-tuning production rather than making any significant stylistic changes. Then, tragically, Romain, recently married to an American girl, Kellen, and with two young children, developed a brain tumour from which he died.
Following this, Hubert decided to come out of retirement and has now re-established Domaine Hubert Lignier & Fils with his other son Laurent. He apparently has the right to some of the grapes farmed by Kellen and her team as sharecroppers, and to a proportion of the wines that she has made. Thus for the most part the Domaine Hubert Lignier wines have been grown and vinified by Domaine Lucie & Auguste Lignier, but bottled by Hubert and Laurent.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director and author of the award-winning Inside Burgundy comprehensive handbook.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
Description
The 2015 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru les Chaffots, located just up from Clos Saint-Denis, has an expressive bouquet with ebullient red cherries, crushed strawberry and subtle undergrowth scents, the 20% whole bunch fruit neatly entwined and barely noticeable. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin, a crisp line of acidity that binds together an elegant yet powerful finish that linger long in the mouth. I would wager that there can be few premier cru wines from Morey-Saint-Denis better than this gem.
Neal Martin - 28/12/2016
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee