Domaine Georges Lignier’s lip-smacking and pure-fruited Bourgogne Rouge comes from two parcels just across the RN74 from Morey-Saint-Denis, directly in line with the historic Clos des Ormes premier cru. Formerly from a tiny 0.2-hectare planting in the lieu-dit Champs de la Vigne and labeled as such, this cuvée began incorporating a younger planting from a nearby plot with the 2022 vintage; this second plot is well shaded by several almond trees, and its fruit contributes lift and freshness to the final blend.
Domaine Georges Lignier possesses among the more astonishing collections of vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, but it wasn’t until young Benoit Stehly—Georges’ nephew—took the reins in 2010 that the wines began to fully articulate the greatness of their terroirs.
Benoit began the process of eliminating reliance on systemic chemical treatments in the vineyards, bringing life into the soil by working it, and being more conscientious about harvesting.
In the cellar, Benoit prefers long, gentle extractions with pump-overs favored over punch-downs, thereby retaining the nimble, high-toned purity Pinot Noir can achieve in Burgundy’s hallowed soils.
He utilizes various proportions of whole clusters depending on vintage conditions, and his oak regimen is particularly conservative, with no new wood employed on the village-level wines.
The results are adamantly ethereal and delicate, flying in the face of the ultra-rich, hyper-concentrated red Burgundies one sometimes encounters in this post-climate-change era.
