Domaine Lignier-Michelot Vieilles Vignes, Morey-St-Denis
The fruit for this vieilles vignes (old vines) blend is sourced from three Morey-Saint-Denis lieux-dits. Half the fruit comes from Les Cognées and quarter from each of Très Girard and Les Chenevery, all on the eastern side of Morey-St-Denis. The old vines have been planted in 1946, 1948, 1950s and 1980s. The wine is made with about three-quarters whole bunch and a short duration of cold maceration and fermented with indigenous yeasts. After that, the wine is aged for a year in oak 30% new oak barrels.
Sitting between Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny, this little appellation can sometimes get a little lost in between. Although, not because of their quality - the wines are a perfect bridge between Gevrey-Chambertin (for structure and tannins) and Chambolle-Musigny (with elegance and velvetiness).
The appellation contains 4 main Grand Crus (5 if you include a small portion of Bonnes Mares which it shares with Chambolle-Musigny) including the Clos de la Roche.
The wines of Morey-Saint-Denis join the soft delicacy of Chambolle, its neighbor to the south, with the power and structure of Gevrey Chambertin, to the north. They are rather deeply coloured, with a powerful bouquet of small red and black fruits (pin cherry, blackcurrant). The crus of Morey-Saint-Denis are more complex, with woodsy, spicy, and animal aromas. They are full bodied and fleshy, often with a very long finish.
