Winemaker Notes
In 2010, the Ligniers purchased a third of a hectare of old vines (circa 1947) in this vineyard that sits just below the great premier cru Les Cailles in the southern part of Nuits-Saint-Georges. This cuvée displays a firm mineral backbone typical of its village of origin, but with a very Lignier sense of drive and freshness. Laurent employs a modest 15% new wood during its 18-month élevage.
Professional Ratings
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Jasper Morris
Bright crimson colour. A fresh red fruit with a little orange zest. There is a firm structure here after the dark red fruit, fair length, this will need time. A solid, middle section, Nuits-St-Georges. Drink from 2029-2034. Tasted Dec 2024.
Barrel Sample: 90-91
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Inhabiting the bottom end of the northern half of the Côte d’Or, Nuits-St-Georges is a busy, market-driven town and home to many of Burgundy’s negociants. It is also the largest town in the Côte d’Or after Beaune and contributes "nuits" to the name of Côte de Nuits (i.e., the northern half of the Côte d’Or).
The appellation itself is divided into two parts, where in the north it directly borders Vosne-Romanée, the southerly end is the commune of Prémeaux. There are no Grands Crus in this village, though it does have a large number of Premiers Crus.
The best Nuits-St-Georges Pinot Noir are layered with cherry, plum, underbrush and sandalwood. The fruit is sweet, the wine energetic, and the finish long and lush.