Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot : Morey-Saint-Denis Village "En la Rue de Vergy" 2023

Tasting and Characteristics of the Morey-Saint-Denis Village "En la Rue de Vergy" 2023 Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot

Tasting

Color

The wine shows a deep ruby robe, dense and bright, typical of a pinot noir grown on high-altitude limestone soils.

Nose

The nose opens on a bouquet of red and black fruit, enhanced by floral and spicy notes, offering a complex and inviting aromatic profile.

Palate

The palate reveals a silky texture supported by lively acidity and fine yet structured tannins. The finish is long, mineral and saline, reflecting the stony terroir from which the wine originates.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs beautifully with roasted meats, matured beef cuts and characterful cheeses, which allow its structure and aromatic depth to fully express themselves.

Serving and cellaring

The Morey-Saint-Denis Village "En la Rue de Vergy" 2023 can be cellared for ten to fifteen years, allowing its tannins to soften further and its aromatic complexity to develop over time.

Other characteristics

This still red wine is produced from pinot noir grown on very well-drained, calcareous soils, which naturally contributes to its mineral and saline character.

Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot: A Precise and Mineral Expression of Morey-Saint-Denis

The Estate

Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot is located in Morey-Saint-Denis, in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. The family has been established in the village for three generations, but the domaine as a commercial entity took shape in 1992, when the first wines were bottled under its own name, following Virgile Lignier's arrival alongside his father Maurice in 1988. Today, Laure and Virgile Lignier head a 12-hectare estate spread across roughly sixty plots in five villages, farmed under organic principles, without certification, emphasizing soil health and biodiversity.

The Vineyard

The "En la Rue de Vergy" cuvée comes from about 1.80 hectare of fifty-year-old vines located just above the Grand Cru Clos de Tart, in Morey-Saint-Denis. The plots sit on terraced levels at high altitude, around 320 meters, on shallow, stony, calcareous soils with white oolite and Premeaux limestone subsoil, offering excellent drainage and a southeast exposure. The vines are tended organically, without herbicides, with regular soil tilling to encourage deep rooting and preserve the site's biodiversity.

The Vintage

The 2023 vintage offered particularly favorable ripening conditions for pinot noir in Morey-Saint-Denis, allowing the vines of "En la Rue de Vergy" to reach an optimal level of maturity, in harmony with the current maturity of this fifty-year-old vineyard.

Winemaking and aging

The Morey-Saint-Denis Village "En la Rue de Vergy" 2023 is vinified with 50 to 70 % whole clusters, following a short cold pre-fermentation maceration and spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged in oak barrels for ten to thirteen months, with a maximum of 30 % new oak, before being blended in stainless steel tanks for about four months prior to bottling.

Grape Varieties

100 % pinot noir.