Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru
The Premiers Crus of Morey St Denis cover the width of the commune on the lower slopes, below the Grands Crus. Another small band lies just above the Grands Crus at the northern end of the commune, adjacent to Gevrey-Chambertin. For the most part they are on very gentle slopes. This appellation includes 20 Premiers Crus Climats, from Les Blanchards to Clos de la Bussière.
Learn more about Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru
The Premiers Crus of Morey St Denis cover the width of the commune on the lower slopes, below the Grands Crus. Another small band lies just above the Grands Crus at the northern end of the commune, adjacent to Gevrey-Chambertin. For the most part they are on very gentle slopes.
Les Blanchards (1.97 hectares)
The soil is a relatively heavy clay with large stones intermixed, making a wine which keeps well. Domaine Arlaud produces a version, though otherwise the grapes mostly go to négociants.
Les Chaffots (2.62 hectares)
Les Chaffots is one of three vineyard sites which are classified as Grand Cru in their lower sectors and Premier Cru further up the slope. Michel Magnien and Domaine Lucie et Auguste Lignier are the main sources.
Aux Charmes (1.17 hectares)
The wines are fine, supple and charming. Domaine Pierre Amiot is a good source.
Les Charrières (2.27 hectares)
Situated below Clos de la Roche and immediately south of Clos des Ormes. The only bottling in fact comes from outside the village, being that of Alain Michelot in Nuits St Georges.
Les Chenevery (1.09 hectares)
Situated below Les Millandes and Les Faconnières, only the upper part of Les Chenevery is classified as Premier Cru. Alain Jeanniard, Domaine Lignier-Michelot and Domaine Bryczek produce the Premier Cru version.
Aux Cheseaux (1.49 hectares)
Situated below Les Charmes on the Gevrey edge of Morey, only the upper part of Aux Cheseaux is classified as Premier Cru. Producers include Domaines Arlaud (Premier Cru) and Louis Rémy (village AOC).
Clos Baulet (0.87 hectares)
This tiny Premier Cru, named for a former owner, lies just below the buildings of Domaine des Lambrays. Frédéric Magnien and Étienne Cosson bottle it on its own.
Clos des Ormes (3.15 hectares)
Located below Clos de la Roche on the Gevrey side of the village, this was named for the elm trees that once grew here. The soil tends to the heavy and humid. Half the vineyard is in the hands of Domaine Georges Lignier.
Clos de la Bussière (2.59 hectares)
The Clos de la Bussière is not only a monopoly of Domaine Georges Roumier. The slope is gentle and the largely red clay soil makes it a typical Morey St Denis wine style, with an element of rusticity compared to the grace of Chambolle-Musigny next door.
Les Faconnières (1.67 hectares)
Situated just below Clos de la Roche and immediately north of Les Millandes, Les Faconnières is one of the best-placed amongst Morey’s Premiers Crus. Producers include Domaine Hubert Lignier and Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot.
Les Millandes (4.20 hectares)
Situated in the middle of the village, underneath Clos de la Roche, Les Millandes is a rightly well-regarded Morey Premier Cru, with a number of leading domaines making very good wine. For example, Domaine Arlaud, Domaine Pierre Amiot, Domaine Heresztyn, Domaine Christian Sérafin.
Les Ruchots (2.58 hectares)
Well situated between Clos de la Bussière below and Clos de Tart above, on the Chambolle side of Morey. Les Ruchots is one of the Morey's most appealing Premier Cru vineyards. Domaines Arlaud and Pierre Amiot are good sources.
Other Premier Crus
Les Genavrières (1.19 hectares), Clos Sorbé (3.55 hectares), Côte Rôtie (1.23 hectares), Les Gruenchers (0.51 hectares), Les Monts- Luisants (5.39 hectares), La Riotte (2.45 hectares), Les Sorbès (2.68 hectares), Le Village (0.90 hectares)
Prices:
Bottle
£63.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
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.
Bottle
£63.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 15cs
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.
Bottle
£63.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 18cs
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.
Bottle
£69.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 9cs
Bottle
£69.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 11cs
Virgile Lignier’s favourite Premier Cru, we suspect. A touch of toast up front, but the bouquet is otherwise deep and detailed, with a marvellous mix of fruit, acidity and judicious oaking.
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.
Bottle
£69.00
Though we still have the pleasure of tasting with Christian Sérafin, it is now his niece, Frédérique who is solely responsible for winemaking. Christian describes 2014 as being all about elegance and balance, with neither too much acidity nor tannin. The Sérafin wines always repay patience.
Bottle
£75.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 17cs
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
Christian Sérafin is very happy with how 2013 worked out in the end, though yields were once again 25% below normal, even if a touch more than in 2012. The team removed rot and unripe bunches in the vineyard, then waited to pick until after the wet weekend which helped both sugar and acidity.
Bottle
£85.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 8cs
Bottle 3 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Christian Sérafin’s niece Frédérique follows very much in her uncle’s footsteps, using the same vinification and maturing principles as before, though possibly with a fractionally lighter touch. She is also reviewing the management of the soil in the vineyards to encourage more microbial life. They made what turned out to be the excellent decision not to do any leaf plucking in 2015, thus avoiding any burning of the grapes and so maintaining a respectable yield.
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Virgile Lignier began picking on 9th September, bringing in normal yields if a bit below 2014. Virgile reports small berries, an entirely healthy crop, potentially as good as 2005 but with a better quality of tannins. He worked on very careful extraction to manage them, using a bit more whole-cluster (especially with old vines on clay rich soil), longer cuvaison, but no punching down except at the very end of fermentation. He uses 30 percent new wood throughout the cellar.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
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.