MOREY SAINT DENIS

2017 1er Cru Aux Chezeaux Domaine Lignier-Michelot

EN PRIMEUR

100% Whole Bunch here in 2017, Virgile always uses quite a lot with this wine, but this year he lost some fruit (he's down to just 3 barrels) and he needed the stems in the cuve to help fill it up. There is no pigeage this year as Virgile is more and more into delicate extraction, in 2017 he found such ripeness in the stems - that the wine is naturally concentrated and intense. Initially there is a little more reserve on the fruit side at, a little more structure here. Nicely framed by some very fine tannin. Fruit does build though and is really quite luxuriant when it builds. The long finish has some of that fine scrape of mineral dust and a brisk freshness. Good. Drinking range: 2019 - 2025L&S (Nov 2018)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

(80% whole cluster). A more complex and more sauvage-inflected nose offers up notes of wild red and dark berry fruit aromas. There is more size, weight and power to the broad-shouldered flavors that possess a succulent mid-palate that contrasts considerably with the rustic, robust and saline finish. This is very good though a wine that will require some forbearance. Drinking range: 2029 - Rating: 91 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Jan 2020)

(80% whole cluster). Here the reduction is sufficiently prominent to make evaluating the nose impossible. There is more size, weight and power to the medium weight flavors that possess a succulent mid-palate that contrasts considerably with the rustic, robust and mildly tough finish. While this may well come together with extended aging, it’s not going to make for especially interesting early drinking. Drinking range: 2029 - Rating: 88-91 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Jan 2019)

The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Aux Chezeaux 1er Cru has a more candied bouquet than the Aux Charmes, with more red fruit, though still a little reduced. The palate is fleshy and caressing in texture, offering layers of lightly spiced, succulent red fruit and fanning out gently with hints of Moroccan spice toward the voluminous finish. Maybe earlier-drinking than the other Premier Crus from the domaine, but well-crafted. Drinking range: 2020 - 2030 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)

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.

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STORAGE OPTIONS:

Wines bought en primeur are scheduled to arrive in the UK over the course of the next eighteen months. If you do not wish to take home delivery, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our primeurs team for more information.

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BURGUNDY EN PRIMEUR FAQ

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