Description
Domaine Georges Lignier, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru
Acquiring Burgundy’s “Top 1%” at an affordable price may sound like you’re being sold the Brooklyn Bridge on layaway, especially when you see the producer (Lignier), vintage (2013), and vineyard (Clos Saint-Denis) gracing today’s intricate label. This is, after all, a well-aged Grand Cru from one of the most respected surnames and legendary Pinot Noir addresses in all of Burgundy, so one should naturally expect a crater-sized hole in their bank statement.
Your suspicions may further deepen when you learn that Domaine Georges Lignier is the lord paramount of Clos Saint-Denis—essentially owning one out of five vines in this historic Grand Cru—or that the current release of this blue-chip cuvée is set to fetch $200 with no ceiling in sight. But here’s where I dispel you of any skepticism and confirm that today’s extraordinary $149 offer is the genuine article: This is a rare, last-ever opportunity to acquire one of Lignier’s nine-year-old Grand Cru bottlings at its original release price, and it’s all thanks to a longtime partnership with their liaison. In short, if you’re seeking world-class Pinot Noir with a colossal ROI, I can practically hear Jim Cramer pounding the “hallelujah” button for today’s smoking and hauntingly perfumed 2013 “Clos Saint-Denis.” Up to six bottles per person.
PLEASE NOTE: This limited parcel will be arriving at our warehouse towards the end of March.
Domaine Georges Lignier has been producing wine in Morey-Saint-Denis for decades, and with the single largest stake in Grand Cru “Clos Saint-Denis,” plus significant ownership in Grand Crus “Bonnes-Mares” and magnificent “Clos de la Roche,” it’s hard to dispute that Lignier has perhaps the most valuable collection of vineyards in the appellation. Benoit Stehly, nephew of Georges Lignier, apprenticed in the vines and cellar for 10+ years before assuming control in 2008. Following a short period of post-succession confusion and stylistic soul-searching, the quality of the wine at this address has skyrocketed in recent vintages and now matches the extraordinary potential of the raw material. As a result, Domaine Georges Lignier is now one of the village’s most prestigious addresses.
Benoit’s holdings in “Clos Saint-Denis” cover two parcels, each planted 60 and 70 years ago, that total 1.49 hectares. In a vacuum, this would appear to be a minuscule amount of raw material, but when considering the entire Grand Cru sits at just 6.6 hectares, their portion becomes tremendously large. The property’s signature methods in the vines and cellar are traditional, but the “house style” is one that puts a premium on complexity and depth of aroma: fruit is harvested slightly later than that of their neighbors; 80% is de-stemmed; a close eye is kept on barrel levels and spontaneous fermentations; new oak never exceeds 50%; and extended maturations last 22 months. The wines are neither fined nor filtered but they are not your earthy, mushroom-scented Burgundy. On the contrary, the estate’s recent celebrity is built on a lineup of wines that possess an intense lushness and purity of fruit—sumptuous is a perfect word for them.
Once extracting the cork on today’s remarkable 2013 Clos Saint-Denis, I strongly suggest giving it no less than one hour of air in a decanter. Afterward, pour into your largest Burgundy stems around a 60-degree serving temperature and prepare for a shockwave of lush and deeply perfumed Pinot Noir aromatics. Ripe red cherry, goji berry, spiced plum, and raspberry soar out of the glass accompanied by delicate aromas of underbrush, damp moss, red tea, baking spice, and crushed rose petal. The palate is wonderfully soft and medium-bodied with a layer of gloss and spice that underscores its exceptional Grand Cru quality. Amazingly, I tracked my bottle over six days and it maintained a strong core of fruit and soft minerality that leads me to believe this has another 7-10 years of enjoyability. Cheers!
