In the cellars at G. Lignier, from Rosenthal
If you had some of the most coveted holdings in Burgundy at your fingertips, what would your wines look like? Would you conform to creating what sells quickest, or what impresses the widest group, or would you follow your own convictions, even if that meant you were destined for an uphill battle? It’s not an easy question to answer, particularly given the economic reality of the region today, but it’s clear that Benoit Stehly of Domaine Georges Lignier has chosen to stick to his guns.

We’ve spoken already about Benoit’s great work in regard to his laudable 2012 Clos St. Denis that we offered earlier this fall. Today we’re presenting five different wines from his stable from 2015 (including 3 Grand Crus) that continue the ascendency of the status of this domaine. These are wines for the Burgundy purist, which emphasize complexity and transparency before concentration and color, energy and vibrancy before power. These are never going to be wines that burst out in expansive lineups, and Benoit has no interest in creating wines that simply flatter. They are certainly not flimsy wines, though. Underneath their evident grace lies a steely intensity that is particularly noteworthy in the exceptional 2015 vintage. These wines below show all the tension and brightness we expect from this address with a bit more stuffing than usual. For fans of this style of Pinot Noir, these are archetypal examples that remain smartly priced given both the quality of their old-vine holdings in some of the most hallowed terroir in the Cote de Nuits and their obvious overall class. This is Burgundy without pretense, haltingly honest and extremely delicious, and we're pleased to offer these wines today.

The wines below are offered on a first come, first served basis. These will all be in stock at the shop early next week. Follow the links below to purchase directly from our site or call/email us if you need some assistance.

Cheers,
  
THE WINES
 
Georges Lignier - Chambolle-Musigny 2015
24 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$75.00/BOTTLE
From .71 hectares of vines that average 70 years across 2 lieux-dits in Chambolle, just below the 1er Cru Les Sentiers. Aged in neutral barrel and bottled unfined & unfiltered. This is a great drink already - aromatic, spicy and exceptionally pretty.

"Palish red with a healthy rim. Deeper-pitched and less forthcoming on the nose than the preceding village wines, showing an element of medicinal reserve to its aromas of cherry, herbs and spices. Bright and lively on entry, then quite closed in the mid-palate, with its savory red fruit and herb flavors conveying classic dryness. This substantial, tactile wine perks up the taste buds on the back end, finishing with fine-grained tannins."

– Stephen Tanzer
GEORGES LIGNIER - MOREY-SAINT-DENIS, 1ER CRU CLOS DES ORMES 2015
24 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$75.00/BOTTLE
From 2 hectares of vines averaging 45 years, which represents half of this 1er Cru and is the largest holding of the domaine. Aged in 20% new wood and bottled unfined & unfiltered. This is as compelling as the Chambolle, if a bit more compacted, ready to spring into full plumage with some more cellar time.

"Good medium red; darker than the village wines. Inviting ripe perfume of cherry, raspberry, dried flowers and crushed rock. A step up in silky ripeness from the estate's village wines, but also offering lovely inner-mouth energy and precision to its sweet, smooth flavors of red berries, mocha, minerals and flowers. There's more wine here! The rising spicy/floral finish displays substantial but fine-grained tannins and a leathery nuance. Perhaps a touch rustic but I like this."

– Stephen Tanzer
GEORGES LIGNIER - CLOS SAINT-DENIS, GRAND CRU 2015
24 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$180.00/BOTTLE
From 1.4 hecatares of vines planted over two plots – one is 50 years old and the other 70. 80% de-stemmed. Fermented spontaneously in steel tanks before being transferred to barrel (40% new) for 20-22 months. Bottled unfined & unfiltered. Like the Clos des Ormes, this will reward some time in the cellar, but its overall balance is dazzling and this is going to be a top example as it develops.

"Medium red, with a trace of development. Medicinal dark raspberry, menthol and earth aromas are complicated by dried flowers and cinnamon. Plush and rich in the middle palate in the style of the 2015 but still with lovely floral, menthol lift to its red berry and underbrush flavors. Very concentrated and fresh, conveying a restrained sweetness to its strong kernel of fruit. Really saturates the mouth and builds slowly on the finish, leaving behind a scent of dried flowers."

– Stephen Tanzer
GEORGES LIGNIER - CLOS DE LA ROCHE, GRAND CRU 2015
24 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$225.00/BOTTLE
From 4 parcels of 55 year old vines covering just over 1ha in this superlative vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in steel tanks before being transferred to barrel (40% new) for 20-22 months. Bottled unfined & unfiltered.

"The darkest color to this point among these 2015s: bright medium red. Alluring, vibrant perfume of raspberry, dark cherry and rose petal. Sappy and extract-rich, with its deep, slightly medicinal flavors of blueberry, dark raspberry and tart red cherry enlivened by elements of saline minerality and crushed rock. This very concentrated but youthfully backward wine finishes with outstanding length; compared to the Clos Saint-Denis, it's a bit less refined but more powerful."

– Stephen Tanzer
GEORGES LIGNIER - BONNES-MARES, GRAND CRU 2015
24 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$275.00/BOTTLE
From 1/4ha of nearly 100 year old vines in BM, one of the most regal of any vineyard in Burgundy. Fermented spontaneously in steel tanks before being transferred to barrel (40% new) for 20-22 months. Bottled unfined & unfiltered. 

"Palish red with a hint of amber. A bit cooler and more peppery than the Clos Saint-Denis and Clos de la Roche, with its reticent red fruit aromas complicated by herbs and menthol. Then densely packed, savory and intense, more about soil tones than primary fruit. Not a sweet style but youthfully penetrating. Finishes sweet, slightly medicinal and classically dry, with lingering salty and spicy qualities. A rather rigorous wine in the context of the vintage, but then this is Bonnes-Mares, which has traditionally been one of Burgundy's longest-aging grand crus."

– Stephen Tanzer