2015 Morey St Denis 1er Cru

The 2015 Morey St Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes is a wonderful rendition of this reliably superb cuvée—which hails from old vines in Faconnières and Chenevery that always produce very small, shot berries. The wine offers up a bouquet of red and black fruits, dark soil tones, raw cocoa and pencil lead, gently framed by new oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied and multidimensional, with a deep core of fruit and excellent sappy energy that carries through the long finish. Its tannins are beautifully cloaked in fruit. The Ligniers call this their baby Clos de la Roche and it’s easy to see why.

Bright, dark red. Wilder and more soil-driven on the nose than the Chaffots, with its aromas of raspberry and candied strawberry complicated by smoky minerality. Fat, sweet, broad and full, displaying slightly sauvage red berry flavors complicated by smoky underbrush and clove. Finishes with huge but fine-grained tannins and excellent length. A compellingly plush and silky wine but not currently showing the detail or definition of the Chaffots.

(25% vendange entier ; a blend of Les Faconnières and Les Chenevery, from vines planted between 1936 and 1952): Good medium red. Subdued on the nose compared to the Chaffots, with an aroma of cherrry liqueur complemented by a toasty, grilled note. Concentrated, tactile and sweet in the mouth, displaying terrific silkiness and lovely aromatic complexity to the red fruit, spice and smoky mineral flavors. Offers a captivating balance of ripeness and vinosity and finishes with high-class tannins.