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.
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For laying down,
Bright purple with medium density, this has a ripe, red-cherry nose. The elegant fruit is backed by a surprisingly firm structure which will require time.
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.
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.
Domaine Lignier-Michelot,
For laying down,
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
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.
Domaine Lignier-Michelot,
For laying down,
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.
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.
Domaine Lignier-Michelot,
For laying down,
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.
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.
Domaine Lignier-Michelot,
For laying down,
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.
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.
For laying down,
Bright, fresh purple, this has a lively, fruit-forward nose. The palate has rich, vibrant fruit with excellent acidity, some crunchy minerals and very good length. Quite precise, this is a dense, mineral wine. Drink 2022-2032.
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.
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.
For laying down,
This Premier Cru sits just underneath Clos de la Roche, and there is certainly more than a passing resemblance to its prestigious neighbour. The fruit is juicy and vibrant, but the quality of the tannins is what makes this wine stand out. Stony and vibrant, this has great, mineral precision. Drink 2024-2034.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
This domaine was originally put on the map by Christian Sérafin’s father, Stanilaus Sérafin, a Polish émigré, who settled in Burgundy before the war. He initially worked as a mason, before purchasing some land in 1947 and establishing himself as a vigneron. His son Christian inherited the domaine in 1988, though he had been making the wine for the previous 20 years. Christian Sérafin is now past retirement age, but with a niece (Frédérique) in the vineyards and cuverie, and a daughter (Karine) in the office, continuity is in place. The style here is for powerful wines which age exceptionally well. Christian Sérafin’s niece Frédérique feels that 2016 is “une grande année de garde”, and could well surpass 2015. In fact, her confidence in the vintage is such that all the wines will be raised entirely in new oak barrels. The most badly-frosted vineyards were Bourgogne and Chambolle Baudes, which suffered 60 percent frost. Overall yields were down by around 50 percent but the cousins expect to release a larger proportion of the crop than usual en primeur in order to minimise the immediate impact of the losses. These are certainly wines which deserve long- term ageing.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
This domaine was originally put on the map by Christian Sérafin’s father, Stanilaus Sérafin, a Polish émigré, who settled in Burgundy before the war. He initially worked as a mason, before purchasing some land in 1947 and establishing himself as a vigneron. His son Christian inherited the domaine in 1988, though he had been making the wine for the previous 20 years. Christian Sérafin is now past retirement age, but with a niece (Frédérique) in the vineyards and cuverie, and a daughter (Karine) in the office, continuity is in place. The style here is for powerful wines which age exceptionally well. Christian Sérafin’s niece Frédérique feels that 2016 is “une grande année de garde”, and could well surpass 2015. In fact, her confidence in the vintage is such that all the wines will be raised entirely in new oak barrels. The most badly-frosted vineyards were Bourgogne and Chambolle Baudes, which suffered 60 percent frost. Overall yields were down by around 50 percent but the cousins expect to release a larger proportion of the crop than usual en primeur in order to minimise the immediate impact of the losses. These are certainly wines which deserve long- term ageing.
Domaine Lignier-Michelot,
For laying down,
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.
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.
Domaine Lignier-Michelot,
For laying down,
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.
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.
Showing 1-20 out of 20 items
The harvest was done early and quickly here, starting on 6th September and finished by 12th. Karine Sérafin explained that the estate was harvesting earlier than before, to keep more freshness in the wines, and also working more with leaf coverage. The old vines negated any need to green harvest and yields are up by only 20 percent from 2016, but otherwise Karine and her cousin Frédérique are intent on preserving the individuality of Christian Sérafin’s style for vins de garde, with 100 percent new oak for everything upwards from the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes.