Lucien Le Moine : Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru "Clos des Ormes" 2021

Characteristics and tasting notes for the Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru "Clos des Ormes" 2021 from Lucien Le Moine

Tasting

Colour
The glass reveals a medium ruby to garnet hue, reflecting a gentle, measured extraction characteristic of this year's berries.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with notes of red and black stone fruit, such as plum and cherry. It then evolves towards touches of liquorice, spice, and new leather.

Palate
Classic in style, the palate offers a structure with firm yet highly refined tannins. The whole is supported by a lovely mineral and saline tension that stretches into a lingering finish.

Food and wine pairing

This red wine pairs perfectly with feathered game such as pheasant, braised beef dishes accompanied by mushrooms or root vegetables, roast pork, or fresh cheeses. It also goes wonderfully with traditional Burgundian cuisine.

Service and storage

With fine aging potential, this 2021 vintage will develop favourably over time thanks to its extended aging on the lees.

Other characteristics

This wine has a moderate alcohol content of around 12.5%. It is neither fined nor filtered, thus retaining a slight natural carbon dioxide from fermentation that protects it in the bottle.

The mineral elegance and precision of a Premier Cru from Burgundy

The estate

Founded in 1999 by Mounir Saouma and Rotem Brakin, who remain its owners today, Lucien Le Moine is an unconventional micro-négociant based in Beaune, at the heart of the Burgundy wine region. The name of the estate echoes Mounir's Lebanese heritage and monastic past. Producing exclusively Premiers and Grands Crus, the estate stands out for its deliberately limited production. This artisanal approach allows the owners to devote meticulous attention to every barrel, favouring wines that express the purity of their terroir.

The vineyard

Located within the Morey-Saint-Denis appellation in the Côte de Nuits, the Premier Cru "Clos des Ormes" extends just below the Grand Cru Clos de la Roche. This historic terroir, established by Cistercian monks, rests on rocky soils composed of Bajocian limestone and clay. The vines, east-facing at an altitude of between 220 and 270 metres, are trained using the Guyot pruning method. Natural winter cover crops are used to protect the soils from erosion and enrich them with humus.

The vintage

2021 was marked by particularly challenging weather conditions across France. A severe spring frost struck the vines at budburst, leading to a drastic drop in yields. The berries that survived stood out for their thin skins, moderate sugar accumulation, and a distinctive balance between high pH and lively acidity.

Winemaking and aging

The musts are collected right after pressing. Fermentation, which is very slow, takes place in a cold cellar and extends over more than a year. Aging takes place without any racking, on abundant lees, with light manual bâtonnage. The wine rests exclusively in fine-grain new oak barrels sourced from the Jupilles forest, slowly toasted over embers. Bottling is carried out by gravity, barrel by barrel, after a full moon.

Grape variety

Pinot Noir (100%)