Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot : Clos de la Roche Grand cru 2021

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2021 from Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot

Tasting

Colour
The wine displays a deep ruby-red hue, a sign of fine concentration for this vintage.

Nose
Initially reserved, the bouquet reveals aromas of dark fruit such as black cherry and blackcurrant, mingled with notes of raspberry. Subtle floral touches, spicy nuances and a slight herbaceous hint complete this aromatic palette.

Palate
Energetic and structured, the palate offers firm, finely chiselled tannins. Lively freshness accompanies flavours of crunchy red fruit, stretching into a long, persistent finish marked by great minerality.

Food and wine pairings

This red wine is an ideal match for roast red meats, game or characterful poultry such as guinea fowl. It also pairs beautifully with traditional slow-cooked dishes such as boeuf bourguignon.

Serving and cellaring

For optimal enjoyment, this wine is best served at around 15 to 16°C, with moderate decanting in its youth. Built for long ageing, this Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2021 can be cellared and enjoyed until around 2045.

The power and minerality of a great Burgundy wine

The estate

Located in the heart of Burgundy, in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis, Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot is a family-run estate whose modern history truly began in 2000, when the entire production started to be bottled at the property. Now run by Laure and Virgile Lignier, the latter representing the third generation, the estate covers 12 hectares. Renowned for its environmentally respectful approach and minimal-intervention winemaking, it produces wines of great precision from the finest terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.

The vineyard

The vineyard from which this Clos de la Roche comes covers a tiny area of around 70 ares, spread across the renowned climats of Les Genavrières and Les Monts Luisants. The vines, around 45 years old, thrive on gentle slopes with stony limestone soils. The estate favours viticulture that respects biodiversity, certified as in conversion to organic farming since 2010, ploughing the soils, avoiding herbicides and carrying out green harvesting to keep yields strictly under control.

The vintage

2021 was marked by particularly challenging weather conditions. The growing cycle had to contend with spring frosts, followed by spells of rain and unusual heat, requiring extremely precise work in the vineyard to bring the grapes to optimal ripeness.

Vinification and ageing

The philosophy in the cellar is one of minimal intervention. For this Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2021, vinification includes a very high proportion of whole bunches, reaching 80%. Extraction is gentle, favouring pumping over rather than punching down. The wine is then aged with restraint for 12 months in oak barrels, followed by 4 months in stainless steel tanks before bottling, preserving the radiance of the fruit and the typicity of the terroir.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir