Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru 2016 Hubert Lignier “Vielles Vignes”

Description: Around 1880, Jacques Lignier purchased plots of vines in Morey-St-Denis, in the heart of the Côte de Nuits, where the domain is still today. The business stays in the family by passing from father to son; his son Jules takes over, then Henri and Hubert to follow. Recently the Domain was in the process of passing to the next generation, Romain Lignier. Romain unfortunately passed away, bringing back Hubert to teach his remaining son, Laurent the mastery of winemaking. The father and son duet, Hubert and Laurent Lignier manages 9 hectares and make 24 wines (Morey-Saint-Denis being their most important holdings). Their vineyards are ploughed for over 25 years, excluding weedkiller and insecticides. The “climates” and great terroirs’ soils are firmly respected in order to favor microorganism and therefore the essential balance for the vine’s growth. The 2013 vintage is described as being intense and precious. The harvest began on October 5th. A late vintage because of the cold and wet spring, followed by a hot and bright summer like in 1978. The small grapes matured nicely and promises a lovely quality wines. “In recent vintages the ever-congenial Hubert and his son Laurent have furnished each vintage with exemplary, occasionally heavenly wines that rank amongst the finest in Burgundy. If God made wine for a reason, then it was for wines like these. Hubert Lignier himself began bottling a tiny amount of wine around the early 1970s, but it was really during the following decade that his wines achieved acclaim beyond the confines of the region. I have not spared any words of admiration for what this father and son team have achieved in recent vintages, simply put, creating some of the best wines the Côte de Nuits has to offer.” – Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, Dec. 2014.