Hubert Lignier Dinner, Clos de La Roche vertical 1976-2015

During the 2017 en Primeur week, Hong Kong based wine merchant, Pearl of Burgundy (PoB) organized this dinner with 3 generations of Lignier present. Laurent, current wine maker, his father and son present. Also, many wines were served in Magnum which allowed participants to go back and re-taste after the dinner. A really great gesture. A magical evening it was.

I had Huber Lignier’s Clos de La Roche a few times in the past and had samples that shot the lights out, e.g., the 2002. I also had younger samples (2009, 2016) which came across as concentrated, a bit hot and were hard to asses. So I was particularly interested in this vertical to get a comprehensive overview. The result of the evening is clear: Hubert Lignier’s Clos de la Roche is one of Burgundy’s greatest wines. It is also a wine that, even more than others, needs a good 15-20 years in bottle before it really unfolds its complex aromas and sheds its youthful structure. So don’t open these too early. The good news is that the Morey St.Denis 1er Cru VV is a mini CdR (both aromatically and structurally) and punches significantly above it weight. Buy it and enjoy it with ca. 10 years of age while you are waiting for the CdR’s to come around.

Premier Crus

2012 Hubert Lignier Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes, 94 Points
From Magnum. Youthful aromas of pine, toast, soil. Very fresh on the palate, youthful, lively acidity, precise, complex. Very promising. Drink after 2022

1990 Hubert Lignier Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes, 93 Points
Much warmer and sunnier than the 2012 and 1987 next to it. More licorice aromas, also some cooked fruit and good structure to support the fruit.

1987 Hubert Lignier Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes, 95 Points
From Magnum. Wow, deep and complex, red fruits, tobacco, cinnamon, dried meat. 30 years of age yet so much energy and lift. Grand Cru quality, a mini Clos de La Roche.

Clos de La Roche Grand Cru 2000-2015

2015 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 99 Points
From Magnum. Wow, this was impressive! Very youthful aromas but already hinting at great complexity with cherry, sweet spices, meat. The structure is dense and polished, great mature tannins, no signs of heat, stays elegant and fresh. 98-100

2012 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 96 Points
From Magnum. Elegant, long, cool blue fruit, pine needle aromas in the nose, some whole cluster. This is precise and medium bodied. Not a blockbuster but will be great in time. 96+

2010 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 97 Points
Very shut down but not a tannic monster, quite the opposite, the structure is polished and the wine is balanced. Cured meat, whole cluster aromas coming through with a bit of time in the glass. Very grand. Don’t touch this till 2025.

2006 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 96 Points
From Magnum. The first CdR with noticeable tertiary aromas. Tannins a bit dusty. Wonderful complexity, a positive surprise, did not expect such a great wine from this vintage.

2005 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 96 Points
Very closed, just like the 2010, may be even more so. Ripe blue fruit, grand palate presence, savory earthy aromas. Hard to judge today. Don’t get tempted, give this wine 20 years before opening (like many 2005 Grand Crus). 96-97

2002 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Cuvée Auguste, 100 Points
Wow, so happy to see this wine repeat its recent performance during a Clos de la Roche / Clos St.Denis dinner where it really shined. This has entered its drinking window and shows amazing complexity of whole clusters, dried meat, game, earth. This with the 1995 were the WOTN for me. Burgundy at its best.

1999 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 99 Points
Another great wine, so complex and complete. Cured meat, stems, smoke, blue and red fruit. Another wine to die for in this outer worldly evening.

1996 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 95 Points
From Magnum. More acidic than the outer worldly 1995. Aromatically also very complex with cured meat, farmyard. More sturdy. Give this a bit more time. 95-96

1995 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche 100 Points
From Magnum. The WOTN of most participants (closely followed by the 2002 and 1991 not far behind). This wine had it all. Head spinning complexity of whole cluster, dried beef, leather, barnyard, cherry. Awesome.

1991 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 98 Points
Wow, what lovely mature sweetness this wine had. Lots of barnyard in the nose but stays clean and fresh. So elegant, so fragrant. Most impressive.

1987 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 96 Points
From Magnum. Darker pitched, more brooding than some of the other wines tonight. Dense, almost Ponsot style, ripe/dense. Needs time to unfold. Very good but cant match the best samples in this line up.

1976 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche, 96 Points
From Magnum. Very tertiary in the nose, lots of autumn leaves, tannins soft and mellow, good acidity to support. Clearly in its sunset but still a great showing at age 40.