Georges Lignier et Fils : Bonnes-Mares Grand cru 2016

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of the Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2016 Georges Lignier et Fils

Tasting

Color

The wine shows a bright ruby hue of moderate intensity, with good clarity consistent with the absence of fining and filtration.

Nose

The nose is distinctly floral, dominated by rose petal and raspberry, layered with light spice and a subtle cooling, almost menthol-like freshness. This aromatic lift sits alongside hints of spiced earth, a nod to the red-soil terroir from which the wine originates.

Palate

The palate is comparatively light-framed for a Grand Cru, yet carried by a marked acidity and a vivid aromatic density. Fine, well-integrated tannins give way to a saline edge that balances the fruit's sweetness, leading into a long, floral finish where rose, raspberry and delicate spice notes linger.

Food and wine pairings

This Bonnes-Mares pairs beautifully with delicate roasted poultry such as pigeon, duck, or guinea fowl, especially when served with a light red wine reduction or berry-based garnish. It also complements refined preparations of veal or pork served with short jus and mushroom accompaniments, and can be enjoyed with feathered game dishes once further aged.

Serving and cellaring

The Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2016 is best served slightly cooler than many bold reds, around 59–63°F (15–17°C), to highlight its aromatic freshness and fine-grained tannins. A brief decanting can help the bouquet open, particularly in its youth.

Other characteristics

This wine has not been fined or filtered, a practice the estate has followed since 2010 in order to preserve texture and aromatic complexity.

The Estate

Domaine Georges Lignier et Fils is a family-run estate founded in the early 20th century in Morey-Saint-Denis, in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. Today it spans roughly 16 hectares across some fifty parcels and 17 appellations, including the prestigious Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Bonnes-Mares and Charmes-Chambertin Grand Crus. The estate is currently led by Benoît Stehly, representing the fourth generation of the Lignier family, who oversees both vineyard and cellar with a classic, terroir-focused philosophy and an environmentally mindful approach to viticulture.

The Vineyard

The Bonnes-Mares parcels farmed by the estate lie on the Chambolle-Musigny side of this Grand Cru, a climat that sits at the crossroads between Chambolle-Musigny and Morey-Saint-Denis. The vines were planted in 1926 on red soils, giving them an average age of over seventy years at the time of this vintage. These old, low-yielding vines contribute naturally to the wine's aromatic concentration and depth.

The Vintage

The 2016 vintage in Burgundy was marked by a damaging spring frost that significantly reduced yields across much of the region. In response, the harvest for this Bonnes-Mares parcel was brought forward earlier than the estate's usual practice, a decision made necessary by the frost's impact on the fruit.

Winemaking and aging

Due to the small harvest resulting from the frost, the Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2016 was fermented in a smaller plastic vat, which limited the fermentation temperature to around 79°F (26°C) rather than the 86°F (30°C) typically sought for this cru. This cooler fermentation likely contributed to the wine's fresh, floral character. As with the rest of the estate's production since 2010, the wine was neither fined nor filtered prior to bottling.

Grape Varieties

100% pinot noir.