Hubert Lignier : Clos de la Roche "MCMLV" Grand cru 2018

Tasting Notes and Characteristics of the Clos de la Roche "MCMLV" 2018 by Hubert Lignier

Tasting

Palate
On the palate, this Clos de la Roche "MCMLV" 2018 shows great concentration, built around ripe red fruit and wrapped in velvety tannins. The finish carries a distinct saline edge, a signature of the mineral-driven Monts Luisants climate from which the wine originates.

A Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the Hubert Lignier Estate in Burgundy

The Estate

Hubert Lignier is a family-run estate established in 1885 in Morey-Saint-Denis, in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. Spanning roughly 11 hectares today, the property has passed through six generations of the Lignier family, from founder Jacques Lignier to the current generation led by Laurent Lignier, who now directs the vineyard work and winemaking alongside his father, Hubert. The estate has been certified organic since 2019, a reflection of its long-standing commitment to careful, low-intervention viticulture across its holdings in Morey-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin, and Chambolle-Musigny.

The Vineyard

This cuvée is sourced from a tiny parcel within Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, situated on the Monts Luisants climate in the upper section of the Morey-Saint-Denis slope. Planted in 1955 from massal selections drawn from the estate's finest vines, the plot is farmed biodynamically on shallow, mineral-rich limestone soil typical of this elevated part of the appellation. Vine density reaches 11,000 plants per hectare, and the parcel is naturally prone to shot berries, producing very small, thick-skinned grapes that concentrate flavor and structure in the finished wine.

Winemaking and Aging

This Clos de la Roche "MCMLV" 2018 is vinified using traditional methods, with about 30% whole-cluster fermentation carried out in stainless steel tanks over roughly 20 days using indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged on its lees for 21 months before being bottled by gravity, without fining or filtration, a process designed to preserve the natural texture and depth drawn from this historic parcel.

Grape Varieties

This Clos de la Roche "MCMLV" 2018 is made from 100% pinot noir, the grape at the heart of the Côte de Nuits and the backbone of the Hubert Lignier estate's plantings.