Clos Saint Denis, Lignier-Michelot 2014

Firm reduction renders the nose impossible to assess. Otherwise there is excellent freshness and energy to the sleek and notably finer middle weight flavors that exhibit a subtle minerality on the balanced, harmonious and wonderfully persistent finish. This highly complex effort is superbly classy and should amply reward 12 to 15 years of cellar time. Lovely. (Drink starting 2026)

The 2014 Clos St Denis Grand Cru is 100% whole cluster fruit. The nose is vivacious and floral with orange zest and Seville orange marmalade, infusing the kirsch and boysenberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and here the stemminess can just be detected on the entry, though there is sufficient fruit to absorb that with time. There is certainly fine structure here; this is a masculine Clos Saint Denis with hints of tobacco on the austere finish. Afford this several years in your cellar if you can track down one of the 400-odd bottles. Drink Date: 2021 - 2045