Lignier-Michelot
Morey, Saint-Denis, has two wlle known neighbors: Gevrey-Chambertin on one side and Chambolle-Musigny on the other. For the past 30 years, Domaine Lignier-Michelot has been working to help this village, situated between the two, make its presence known. This is a family-run farm based in the village of Morey, operated by Virgile Lignier and his wife, Laure, and relying almost entirely on Pinot Noir. At one time, their wine was supplied to négociants (merchants who purchase fruit and bottle it under their own brand). Since the early 1990s, they have instead begun bottling their own wines, producing a variety of wines ranging from village wines to Grand Cru. They farm organically according to the lunar calendar, maintain low yields, and manage each of their numerous small vineyards individually. The winery refers to its wines as haute couture, characterized by small-batch production, a single hometown, and meticulous care.
From selling grapes to selling bottles
Although wine has been produced here for quite some time, this family did not start out as bottlers. Virgile Lignier's father, Maurice, and his grandfather both produced wine at Morey-Saint-Denis and sold it to négociants, which was a common practice among small-scale Côte de Nuits growers.
Virgile began helping his father in 1988. A few years later, they decided to retain the wine themselves and sell it under the family name, and the domaine began bottling its own wine in the early 1990s.
By 2000, he had taken full charge of the winemaking process, and from that point on, all wines were bottled directly at the domaine. Since then, Laure and Virgile have been running the domaine together.
Just as many changes have taken place in the vineyards as in the winery. They reduced yields, plowed the soil, and introduced a sorting table to sort the grapes before they entered the fermentation tanks. A second sorting table was added for the 2007 harvest.
Ten hectares, sixty-odd parcels
Domaine Lignier-Michelot cultivates approximately 10 hectares of farmland.
More important than the total area is how it is divided. This land is divided into roughly 60 individual plots, scattered across five villages in Côte de Nuits, ranging from Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south to Fixin in the north, with Morey-Saint-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, and Gevrey-Chambertin situated in between.
The land in Grand Cru is located in Clos de la Roche and Clos Saint-Denis, both of which belong to Morey, and also includes Charmes-Chambertin in Gevrey-Chambertin. In addition, the Morey Premier Crus zone comprises a particularly long list: Les Faconnières, Les Chenevery, Aux Charmes, Les Genavrières, and Les Chezeaux.
The 60 plots, totaling around 10 hectares, represent numerous small vineyards, each carefully selected and vinified separately. This also means that the product lineup is far more extensive than the size of the vineyards might suggest.
A small appellation with five Grands Crus
The area of Moret-Saint-Denis is approximately 150 hectares, which is relatively small by Côte de Nuits standards, and it is home to five Grands Crus, including Clos de la Roche and Clos Saint-Denis. This village is situated on the Route des Grands Crus, which lies between Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin.
The key point is that it is sandwiched between these two regions. Lignier-Michelot also owns vineyards in the two adjacent regions.
The vineyards converted to organic farming in 2010 and have since been cultivated using organic methods in accordance with the lunar calendar. Pruning combines the Guyot method with the cordon method; the canes are trained high, and the soil is cultivated with biodiversity in mind.
The grape varieties
With one small exception, Lignier-Michelot is a domaine specializing in red wines.
- Pinot Noir: Responsible for all wines, ranging from Bourgogne to the three Grands Crus wines.
- Chardonnay: A wine that accounts for a much smaller portion of the production and serves as the base for Coteaux Bourguignons, the estate's white wine.
Winemaking
Upon arrival, the fruit undergoes a rigorous sorting process, followed by a brief, approximately 5-day cold maceration period, after which natural fermentation begins using natural yeast.
A key characteristic of this wine is the use of whole clusters. The proportion varies from roughly one-third to 100 percent, depending on the vineyard block and vintage, and Virgile Lignier has been candid about the risks involved. This is because, in years when the stems are not fully ripe, using too many whole clusters can result in green flavors and harsh tannins seeping into the wine. Extraction is carried out gently, primarily through pump-over, in a temperature-controlled winery.
The wine is aged in oak barrels for at least one year. The proportion of new oak varies by wine, and while opinions differ on the exact ratio, the use of new oak is restrained in the Village and Premier Cru bottlings, whereas it is higher in the Grands Crus. Since the 2005 vintage, the winery has discontinued contracts with other barrel makers and has used exclusively François Frères barrels.
After oak barrel aging is complete, each lot is blended and aged for an additional 3 to 5 months in stainless steel tanks before bottling. The wine is not fined, and filtration is performed only when necessary.
The wines
Two Grands Crus form the center of this area. Clos de la Roche is derived from Morey-Saint-Denis, and Charmes Chambertin originates from the adjacent Gevrey-Chambertin.
Morey Saint Denis Charmes originates from the Aux Charmes climat. Morey Saint Denis Chenevery is produced from Les Chenevery.
In addition there is a Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru; the more distant Morey Premier Crus area (including Les Faconnières), Les Genavrières and Les Chezeaux, Morey Vieilles Vignes, produced from old vines, and En la Rue de Vergy. Chambolle-Musigny is released in several versions, including Premier Cru, which is known as Cuvée Jules. Gevrey-Chambertin is bottled as Cuvée Bertin, and there is also Fixin Premier Cru, produced from Les Arvelets.
The lower tiers of the product line include Bourgogne Pinot Noir and Coteaux Bourguignons, as well as the only white wine, Coteaux Bourguignons Blanc (also known as Cuvée Axelle). Some bottles are labeled Virgile Lignier instead of Lignier-Michelot.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs Domaine Lignier-Michelot?
Virgile Lignier and his wife Laure. Virgile joined his father Maurice in 1988 and has been solely responsible for the winemaking since 2000.
Is the estate organic?
The vineyards went over to organic farming in 2010, with work timed to the lunar calendar.
How much wine does Lignier-Michelot make?
Around 60,000 bottles a year, spread across a long list of appellations. That makes most individual cuvées very small.
Does the domaine make anything other than red Burgundy?
Yes, though only just. There is one white, a Coteaux Bourguignons Blanc named Cuvée Axelle. Everything else is Pinot Noir.
