Hubert et Laurent LIGNIER (Morey-St-Denis) -- 2016 Part I: Regional and Village Wines Tasted from Bottle and Barrel

(Originally published January 2018)

Laurent Lignier said that he lost quite a bit of crop in the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Bourgogne, Bourgne-Aligoté, Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains, and Pommard appellations. But the Morey-Saint-Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin appellations were rather normal in yield, and indeed a bit above 2014.

2016 was the first vintage of conversion to organic viticulture and that gave problems with the mildew, mostly in the vineyards lower down from the slopes. 

Harvesting began on 28 September. There was no chaptalization. Whole clusters were used for some wines. With the cold cellar here, malolactic fermentations tended to be rather late — they finished between April and September, with most finishing in June and July.

2016 Bourgogne    Pinot Noir

The nose here is subtly scented with flowers. The mouth shows dark and red fruits, opulence, freshness, purity, and good acidity. The vines are located by Chambolle-Musigny. They are about 50 years-old and did not freeze. This lovely wine is a potential bargain and worth looking for. 89/A

2016 Chambolle-Musigny   vieilles vignes

The nose here is mineral, pure, and fresh. The mouth is long and deep with dark fruits that are dense and concentrated. This wine is from purchased fruit from the Les Drazey and Les Gamaires lieux-dits at the northern end of the Chambolle appellation. All grapes were destemmed. (87-91)

2016 Chambolle-Musigny    Les Bussières

Les Bussières is a lieu-dit bounded to the south and east, respectively, by the Les Drazey and Les Gamaires lieux-dits (both used in the previous wine), to the west (upslope) by the premier cru Sentiers, and to the north by Roumier’s monopole premier cru Clos de la Bussière. Not bad company for a village wine. The mouth has good, sharp acidity with dark fruits, smoothness of texture, and good energy. 25% whole clusters here, 20% new oak. (87-90)

2016 Gevrey-Chambertin   La Justice

Lignier's Gevrey, Justice has red cherry and raspberry fruit and is medium-weight with density and good structure. It is promising. 100% destemmed fruit. The malolactic fermentation here was relatively early, in April. (88-92)

2016 Gevrey-Chambertin    Les Seuvrées

The Gevrey, Seurvrées, from a vineyard on the Morey border and just below the route nationale, is pure with raspberry fruit, a steely texture, good energy, and it shows some juiciness. Not much frost here, but the yields are naturally low because of the old vines. 25% whole clusters and 25% new oak. (88-92)

2016 Morey-Saint-Denis     Très Girard

This wine is from grapes that Lignier purchases. The nose is pure with red and black raspberry fruit. The mouth has a bit of syrup quality to it, but still it is very fresh, direct, and energetic. No whole clusters on this wine. (89-92)

2016 Morey-Saint-Denis   Trilogie

The Morey, Trilogie (from three different lieux-dits) shows a bit more depth and breadth than the Très Girard and its fruit has spiciness. 30% whole clusters here. Because of the old vines, the yield here was only about 25-30 hl/ha, notwithstanding the fact that Morey-Saint-Denis largely escaped the frosts. (88-92)

2016 Nuits-Saint-Georges    Les Poisets

With the Nuits, Poisets, we are back to minuscule yields caused by the frost — 1-1/2 barrels for 34 ares. What little there is, though, is of excellent quality with spicy dark plum fruit, length, good acidity, and fine tannins. (90-93)

2016 Pommard    En Brescul

Lignier has ripped out its Chanlins parcels in Pommard and will be replanting them. En Brescul is a lieu-dit high on the Beaune border by the Clos des Mouches. The vineyard, planted in 1997 and acquired by Lignier in 2013, is terraced and has very gravelly soil. The wine shows opulence with long, fresh black raspberry fruit. There’s no rusticity here. Here, the malolactic fermentation was late, finishing in August. (88-92)