Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot

FRANCE, Morey-Saint-Denis

The Lignier family has deep roots in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis and own some of the very best vineyard sites in this village and in two neighbouring villages, Chambolle Musigny and Gevrey Chambertin. Virgile’s father and grandfather have always been producing wine, selling it to negotiants, until Virgile started working with his father in 1992. Today, Virgile is producing what many believe to be the best wines in this prestigious village.

Winemaker & owner

Virgile Lignier

“ Virgile Lignier, who joined his father Maurice at the domaine in 1992, is the fourth generation to run the family property. This was also the first year that the estate started bottling their wines and selling them directly. Virgile is meticulous in the vineyards and seeks to be as natural as possible when confronting viticultural challenges. His goal is that which was often stated by Henri Jayer: to produce the finest fruit possible from which to work with so that the wine can make itself as much as is possible. ”

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“What Virgile is looking for in his wines?: “Wine with good fruit, good ripeness and a good balance.”

Winemaking

Our philosophy

Virgile’s focus: green pruning and working the soil without herbicides. His wine making can be described as ‘traditional vinification’. Over the years, Virgile changed his philosophy from that of a technical winemaker to a passionate vitculturist. All the energy is spent on ensuring the growth of the very best vines and letting the wine create itself.

  • 4th generation family domaine

  • Farmed organically and follows the lunar calendar

  • Minimum intervention in the winery, including whole cluster fermentation & indegenous yeast

Collection

Our wines

The wines of Le Domaine Virgile Lignier-Michelot is dramatic and opulent, with sappy cores of fruit, excellent expressions of terroir, and the balance and structure to allow graceful aging in the cellar.

Morey-Saint-Denis Vieilles VignesMorey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Aux Charmes

RED WINE

Morey-Saint-Denis Vieilles Vignes

Made from a blend of three vineyards with around 70-year-old vines that lie in the middle of the appellation; Tres Girard, Les Cognees and Bas Chenevery. This wine is consistently very aromatic and incredibly attractive when young with great depth of aromas and remarkable generosity on the palate. A stunning village wine that provides great pleasure from a very young age. This year, the ferment contained 95% whole bunches with some tiny millerande grapes from very old vines of 70+ years,  giving the impression of more sweetness and more tannins, creating a more dense, yet very fine palate.

Very ripe, with a liqueur-like quality to the black cherry, violet and spice scents. There is both excellent intensity and delineation to the medium-weight flavours that flash a touch of youthful austerity on the lingering finish.

(88-91) Burghound.com January 2020
(87-89) Vinous Media, Neal Martin January 2020

RED WINE

Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Aux Charmes

This Morey Premier Cru is thus named because it is a small continuation of the Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru Les Mazoyères, which may also be called Charmes.
50% whole-cluster, cold maceration before fermentation.
Aged for 12 months in barrel (30% new), 3 months settling in tank, gentle white earth filtration.

Bright purple with a deep centre, this has plump, chunky, sumptuous fruit, offering a delicious mouthfeel – especially through the middle of the palate, as is the way with vineyards called Les Charmes. There is a little structure behind, with a long finish on dark red fruit.

Vinous – Antonio Galloni: 92/100