1997 Hubert Lignier Morey-St.-Denis

Hubert Lignier is a 5-acre domaine based in Morey-Saint-Denis, in Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits. It was run by Hubert and his son Romain until Romain died of a brain tumor in 2004. The domaine is noted for its Grand Cru Charmes Chambertin and Clos de la Roche, but it also has Premier Cru parcels in Gevrey Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis and Chambolle Musigny, as well as numerous village parcels. Since Romain’s death, his widow, Kellen Lignier, has started a small domaine named Domaine Lucie and Auguste Lignier, after her children. Meanwhile Domaine Hubert Lignier, which was divided up after Romain’s death to give some of it to his widow, is now run by Hubert and his son Laurent.

Côte de Nuits is the northern part of the Côte d’Or and it includes the most famous vineyards and wine communes in the world. There are more Grand Cru appellations in the Côte de Nuits than anywhere else in Burgundy. Of the fourteen communes, or villages in the Côte de Nuits, six produce Grand Cru wines. They are Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Flagey-Échezeaux and Vosne-Romanee. Some of the vineyards within the Côte de Nuits are tiny, which adds to their prestige. The fabled Grand Cru vineyard La Romanee is barely two square acres. Altogether there are twenty-four Grand Cru vineyards. The region takes its name from the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Côtes de Nuits produces mostly reds from Pinot Noir, and the wines have been in demand for centuries. During the 18th century King Louis XIV’s physician recommended that for his health the king only drink wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges. Like most of Burgundy, the soils of the Côte de Nuit can vary greatly from one vineyard to another, though most are a base soil of limestone mixed with clay, gravel and sand.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.