Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot : Morey-Saint-Denis Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2022

Characteristics and tasting notes for the Morey-Saint-Denis Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2022 from Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot

Tasting

Colour
The wine reveals a red hue.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with notes of chilled black fruit and plum, accompanied by floral touches reminiscent of rose and violet. Hints of spice, crushed anise and brown earth complete this rich palette.

Palate
Full of energy, the palate offers an ample, layered texture with medium to full density. The fine, powdery tannic structure supports a well-structured profile. The finish is muscular, serious and surprisingly long, leaving a slightly dusty impression.

Food and wine pairing

This wine pairs beautifully with traditional dishes such as bœuf bourguignon, roast poultry with mushrooms, or grilled meats such as a herb-crusted rack of veal. It also complements duck dishes and roasted root vegetables, as well as uncooked pressed cheeses such as Saint-Nectaire or Reblochon.

Serving and cellaring

The Morey-Saint-Denis Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2022 needs a few years in the cellar for its structure to soften. It will be at its best after three to four years of ageing and will continue to develop favourably until around 2032.

The refinement and authentic expression of a great Burgundy terroir

The estate

Located in Morey-Saint-Denis, in the heart of Burgundy, Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot covers around 12 hectares. Although the family's history goes back several generations, the current estate was formally established in 1999. Now run by Laure and Virgile Lignier, the estate stands out for its environmentally respectful approach, inspired by organic and biodynamic farming. The domaine is renowned for its technical mastery and its commitment to producing wines that faithfully reflect their terroirs, keeping cellar interventions to a minimum and making the most of its heritage of old vines.

The vineyard

The grapes come from three lieux-dits within the Morey-Saint-Denis appellation: Les Cognées (around 50%), Très Girard (25%) and Les Chenevery (25%). These plots, located on the lower and middle slopes on brown limestone soils and scree, are planted with vines, the youngest of which are around seventy years old. The vineyard is farmed without herbicides or insecticides, with the soils worked by ploughing and yields controlled through green harvesting.

The vintage

2022 was marked by hot, relatively dry weather conditions, allowing the grapes to reach a high level of ripeness while retaining lovely freshness.

Vinification and ageing

After hand harvesting, the grapes for the Morey-Saint-Denis Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2022 pass over two sorting tables, which notably allows the millerandé bunches to be retained. The vinification includes 80% whole-cluster fruit. It begins with a three- to five-day cold maceration, followed by light pump-overs and moderate punch-downs. The wine is aged for twelve months in oak barrels from the cooper François Frères, then finishes with four months in stainless steel tanks. It is racked under nitrogen and bottled without filtration.

Grape variety

Pinot Noir (100%).