Lignier Michelot Morey-Saint-Denis Vieilles Vignes 2016

Domaine Lignier-Michelot is a family story that started 3 generations ago, in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis. A Domaine of 11 hectares, 25% regionals, 50% Villages, 20% Premiers crus and 5% Grands Crus. Virgile Lignier worked at the Domaine with his father Maurice from 1988, beginning to bottle some of the wine in 1992 (it had previously been sold to the négoce), taking over in 2000, which was the vintage when he first bottled all the Domaine's production.

In the vineyard Virgile made significant changes, stopping the use of herbicides, and beginning to plough instead. Green harvesting to limit yields followed, along with greater attention to grape selection. The Domaine works organically except in the extremis.

The wines have a lovely combination of enough body and richness, combined with a lively clarity of expression. The old vines village cuvées are seriously good, and great value too. Going up the scale each site seems to speak very clearly of its source and there is brightness and energy along with full, seamless fruit.

The Vieilles Vignes. This is from Très Girard, Les Cognées and the village section of Chenevery, with the oldest vines aged 80 years. There is deeper clay here and the wine is in a more generous style for Morey.