CLOS DE LA ROCHE
2014 Grand Cru Domaine Lignier-Michelot
Lovely deep colour. Sumptuous nose to go with it. That weighty silk feel, and then suddenly it has no weight - it just lifts and glides, effortless, graceful, a splash of colour and light, long and pure. A jewel. Drinking range: 2021 - L&S (Nov 2015)
75cl bottles (case of 6)
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(50% vendange entier; from estate parcels planted in 1990 and 1947, plus some purchased fruit from vines planted in 1965): Bright, deep red with ruby highlights; beautiful color. Deep aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, violet, smoked meat, animal fur and earth. Plush, smooth and concentrated; packed with chewy purple fruit and violet flavors. This fleshy, deep grand cru really spreads out to saturate the entire mouth on the back end, with tactile tannins contributing to an impression of vibrancy. Rating: 92-94 Stephen Tanzer, www.vinousmedia.com (Jan 2016)
Bright crimson. Bitter cherries and polished tannins. It’s good and vital though not transcendental. Pretty powerful on the back palate though. Then it just finishes a little suddenly. A serious long-term contender. Drinking range: 2020 - 2030 Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Jan 2016)
The summit of a strong range from Virgile Lignier, this shows the polish, texture and fruit purity that are the hallmarks of his style. Orange zest, sweet red cherry and raspberry fruit, tangy acidity and stylishly handled oak: this is a very classy expression of the Grand Cru. Drinking range: 2020 - 2028 Rating: 94 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Jan 2016)
The 2014 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is 50% whole cluster fruit. It has a denser and more opaque bouquet compared to the 2015 Clos Saint Denis -- blueberry and cassis fruit, all with a tight leash on. The palate is medium-bodied with fine but firm tannin on the entry; there is blackberry and boysenberry, and plenty of salinity here with a mineral-driven finish that leaves the tongue a tingling long after it has departed. This is very serious and deserves a few years in the cellar. Drinking range: 2019 - 2035 Rating: 93-95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Dec 2015)
Big intensity and expression on the nose. Full and flamboyant. Punchy juicy and rich on the attack. A large generous and thickly textured wine. Sumptuous texture. Full crushed velvet. A rich and generous palate finishes with energy at the end….it is just delicious and very inviting. From 2020 Rating: 19.5 Sarah Marsh MW, The Burgundy Briefing (Nov 2015)
Domaine Lignier-Michelot
A domaine of 11 hectares, 25% regionals, 50% Villages, 20% Premiers crus and 5% Grands Crus. Virgile Lignier worked at the domaine with his father Maurice from 1988, beginning to bottle some of the wine from 1992 (it had previously been sold to the négoce), taking over in 2000, which was the vintage when he first bottled all the domaine's production.
In the vineyard Virgile made significant changes, stopping the use of herbicides, and beginning to plough instead. Green harvesting to limits yields followed, along with greater attention to grape selection. The domaine works organically except in extremis.
The wines have a lovely combination of enough body and richness, combined with a lively clarity of expression. The old vines village cuvées are seriously good, and great value too. Going up the scale each site seems to speak very clearly of its source and there is a brightness and energy along with full, seamless fruit.