2015 Hubert Lignier Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots

(this wine benefited from its higher altitude and proximity to the combe in 2015, noted Laurent Lignier): Bright ruby-red. Dark, vibrant aromas and flavors of cassis, blackberry, licorice and violet pastille. Wonderfully silky and thick but with surprising inner-mouth definition and lift; this is higher in acidity than the preceding 2015s, with a full four grams per liter. A fruit bomb with terrific early sweetness, a touch of saline minerality and a long, firmly tannic yet refined finish.

(vinified with 20% whole clusters; this vineyard is situated above Clos Saint-Denis, but tilted toward the combe ; the vines were planted between 1955 and 1968): Saturated deep red. Pungent aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, red licorice and crushed rock, plus an element of peppery spices from the stems. A savory, linear style but also boasts excellent sucrosité buffered by firm minerality. Carrying 13.5% alcohol but the wine's 3.4 pH and deep mineral component give it a light touch and noteworthy inner-mouth tension. This very rich, silky wine, from a vineyard just under a quarry, finishes with suave tannins, excellent breadth and slowly rising length. Will this beauty shut down in bottle?

The 2015 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru les Chaffots, located just up from Clos Saint-Denis, has an expressive bouquet with ebullient red cherries, crushed strawberry and subtle undergrowth scents, the 20% whole bunch fruit neatly entwined and barely noticeable. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin, a crisp line of acidity that binds together an elegant yet powerful finish that linger long in the mouth. I would wager that there can be few premier cru wines from Morey-Saint-Denis better than this gem.