Morey Saint Denis 1er cru Les Chaffots 2023 Domaine Hubert Lignier

The Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots 2023 from Domaine Hubert Lignier is one of three summit Premier Crus on the slopes of Morey, scoring 94 points from Christy Canterbury MW for Tim Atkin. The domaine holds 45 ares at the southern edge of the climat, above the Grand Cru Clos Saint-Denis, on hard limestone soil above 300 metres altitude. This is a wine both refined and delicate, with excellent ageing potential, reflecting the full finesse of Les Chaffots in its purest expression. Less opulent than Gevrey, less perfumed than Chambolle, yet with an earthy depth and structural integrity that is the absolute signature of Morey-Saint-Denis at its best.

Terroir and vines

The Premier Cru Les Chaffots sits on the slope at 330 metres altitude, with east and southeast exposure, just above the Grand Cru Clos Saint-Denis: the upper part of the climat is classified as Premier Cru Les Chaffots, the lower part as Grand Cru. This immediate proximity explains the particular depth and nobility of this terroir. The name Chaffots refers in Burgundian patois to small haystacks, modest hay shelters once built amid the vines. The soil is hard limestone with exposed bedrock, shallow calcareous marl, very draining and thermally active. These limestone outcrops, poor and stony, impose natural stress on the old vines planted in 1968, concentrating aromas with absolute intensity and minerality. Organic viticulture since 2019. Hand-harvested with strict selection and small yields. Winemaking is minimalist: fermentation with one-third whole bunches using indigenous yeasts, gentle maceration for around three weeks in open vats. Ageing on lees is very long, 21 to 22 months, to refine the tannins.

Tasting profile

In the 2023 vintage, the wine is more taut and tensile than its neighbour Les Ruchots, reflecting its stonier, more elevated terroir. The nose is complex and elegant, blending aromas of small red fruits, raspberry and redcurrant, with darker notes of black cherry, violet and liquorice, lifted by a subtle touch of noble oak and sweet spice. Smoked berry and plum aromas emerge with aeration. On the palate, the cuvée is fine and delicate, with lovely tension and fruit purity. The texture is both structured and silky, driven by a fine but well-present tannin framework. The finish is long, fresh and marked by flint notes and slight salinity, a sign of altitude terroir and good ventilation. This is a red wine of beautiful intensity, among the most coloured at the domaine, with exceptional ageing potential of a minimum five to ten years.

The domaine

Hubert Lignier founded the domaine in the 1970s in Morey-Saint-Denis. Following his death in 2004, his brother Laurent took over from 2006. The estate encompasses 11 hectares of organically certified vines since 2019, with an average age of 50 years. 2.5 hectares spread across six parcels are also farmed biodynamically. Laurent Lignier produces authentic, sensual wines that express their terroirs with absolute precision and conviction, following a simple and direct philosophy: 75 per cent of wine quality comes from vineyard quality.

Food pairings

This Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots pairs beautifully with slowly braised beef Burgundy style, partridge cooked in the Burgundian manner, grilled châteaubriand with wild mushrooms, lamb rack with Provençal herbs, or aged cheeses such as Époisses or Soumaintrain. Served at 16°C with an hour of decanting recommended in its youth, it will gradually reveal all the mineral finesse, earthy depth and elegance of a Premier Cru from Morey-Saint-Denis surpassed only by the Grand Cru.