Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot : Cuvée 822 2022

Characteristics and tasting tips for the 2022 "Cuvée 822" from Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot

Tasting

Appearance
This wine displays a ruby to deep ruby hue with violet highlights in its youth and lovely clarity.

Nose
The bouquet is expressive and open, offering aromas of ripe black fruit such as blueberry and blackcurrant, alongside notes of black cherry and crushed raspberry. Floral touches of peony and violet enrich this fruity profile, together with subtle nuances of undergrowth, warm earth and gentle spices.

Palate
The palate is medium-bodied, with a supple attack that opens into a generous, fruit-driven mid-palate. Fine, ripe and seamlessly integrated tannins support the silky, velvety texture. Lovely acidity brings tension and freshness, leading to a lingering finish with hints of red fruit, black fruit and delicate spice.

Food and wine pairing

This red wine pairs beautifully with fine charcuterie such as pâté en croûte or rillettes, as well as with bistro dishes. It also goes very well with roast poultry, white meats in a creamy mushroom sauce and vegetarian dishes such as porcini risotto. For cheese, it will show soft cheeses such as Saint-Nectaire or Brie at their best.

Serving and ageing

For optimal enjoyment, serve this wine at a temperature between 14 and 16°C. When young, it can be decanted for 30 to 60 minutes to fully release its aromas. This wine offers immediate pleasure but can also be cellared and enjoyed until around 2028.

The fruity, balanced expression of a Coteaux-Bourguignons wine

The estate

The family history of Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot began in Burgundy in the early 20th century, but the current legal entity was officially established in 1995. Based in Morey-Saint-Denis, the estate is now run by Virgile Lignier and his wife Laure. It tends around 12 hectares of vineyards spread across the Côte de Nuits. Renowned for its environmentally respectful approach, the domaine favours uncertified organic viticulture guided by the lunar calendar and minimal-intervention winemaking to express the full purity of its terroirs.

The vineyard

This cuvée comes from Pinot Noir vines planted in 1991. The plot lies just on the edge of the Morey-Saint-Denis municipal boundary, on clay-limestone soils typical of Burgundy. The vineyard is farmed organically, without herbicides. Soil cultivation and biodiversity are encouraged to produce grapes of outstanding quality.

The vintage

The 2022 vintage unfolded against a generally warmer climatic backdrop. The weather conditions in this recent vintage allowed the berries to reach optimal ripeness while retaining lovely acidity, striking an ideal balance between richness and freshness.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes are fully destemmed and then fermented with indigenous yeasts. The estate favours gentle extraction, preferring pump-overs to intensive punch-downs. The wine is then aged for around twelve months in mostly used oak barrels to preserve the vibrancy of the fruit and the finesse of the structure.

Grape variety

Pinot Noir (100%).