Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot : Clos de la Roche Grand cru 2019

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the Clos de la Roche 2019 from Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot

Tasting

Color
The wine shows a deep, saturated purple color, typical of a concentrated pinot noir from a grand cru terroir.

Nose
The nose opens on dark, ripe fruit notes of plum liqueur, raspberry, and black currant, layered with violet and lavender, before revealing more earthy nuances of leather and warm soil.

Palate
The palate is dense and tightly wound, built on abundant yet refined tannins supported by a fine, precise acidity. The finish is remarkably long and intense, carrying the structure through to a lingering conclusion.

Serving and cellaring

Thanks to its structure and the depth drawn from old vines, the Clos de la Roche 2019 is built for extended cellaring, with an aging potential spanning several decades.

A powerful, structured grand cru from the Clos de la Roche in Morey-Saint-Denis

The Estate

Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot is a family estate rooted in Morey-Saint-Denis, in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits, with three generations of winegrowing history. The domaine began bottling its own wines in 1992 and now farms around 12 to 12.5 hectares across roughly twenty appellations, all within the Côte de Nuits. Today it is run by Virgile Lignier and his wife Laure, who have practiced uncertified organic viticulture since around 2010 and abandoned herbicides as early as 2000, producing about 60,000 bottles a year with a focus on precision and terroir expression.

The Vineyard

The Clos de la Roche parcel farmed by the domaine covers approximately 0.80 hectare within this grand cru of Morey-Saint-Denis, planted with vines dating from 1944 to 1990. The clay-limestone soils, rich in stone, provide good drainage and give the wines a mineral backbone and dense structure. Moderate slopes and a favorable exposure allow for even ripening across the plot.

The Vintage

The 2019 growing season in Burgundy was marked by warm, dry conditions overall, yet it produced wines of surprising freshness, concentration, and elegance. The moderate slope and exposure of the Clos de la Roche parcel helped preserve balance in the fruit despite the warmth of the season.

Winemaking and Aging

For the Clos de la Roche 2019, the domaine relied on a high proportion of whole-cluster fermentation, around 80%, combined with a gentle maceration. This approach was chosen to draw out abundant yet fine-grained tannins while adding aromatic complexity and a sense of freshness from the stems.

Grape Variety

100% pinot noir.