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Comte Liger Belair, Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Chaumes 2009
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Description
Comte Liger Belair, Chaumes, Vosne Romanee, 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, Still, Red, 2009
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2009 Vosne-Romanee Les Chaumes is insanely beautiful. It is a complex wine that changes constantly in the glass. At times it is the wine’s dark fruit that dominates, while at others it is the aromatics that take center stage. I especially like the way the Chaumes blossoms on the palate. The finish is rich, textured and totally seductive. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029. Louis-Michel Liger-Belair is one of the emerging superstars in Burgundy. Over the last decade or so he has gradually taken back vineyards that his family had previously leased. The collection of vineyards would make anyone’s mouth water, although it is only a small portion of the holdings the family once owned. These are some of the most effortless, graceful Burgundies readers will find. The house style is all about elegance. The vineyards were converted to biodynamics starting in 2008. Work in the cellar is equally non-interventionalist. The 2009 harvest started on September 12. The fruit was 100% destemmed and all of the wines were aged in 100% new oak. Some of the 2009s were bottled by early February, while the rest of the wines were scheduled to be bottled in late March. Importer: Grand Crus Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 974-2500
About the Producer
At just the tender age of eight, Louis-Michel Liger-Belair already declared his ambition to become a winemaker when he grew up. When his oenology studies finally began as he enrolled himself at the University of Dijon, graduating in 2001, he took over the family vineyards and established Domaine Comte Liger-Belair. It was no mean feat - their vineyard ownership stretches back to 1815, six generations ago, where the family domaine, then known as Château de Vosne-Romanée, was established by Louis Liger-Belair. With his adopted son, Louis-Charles, they acquired 40 hectares of top vineyards around the village, including sole ownership of La Romanée and La Tâche Grand Cru. Napoleonic inheritance laws sadly led to the sale of the domaine in 1933. Not wanting the family treasures to dissipate entirely, Louis-Michel's grandfather and his brother bought back La Romanée and several other vineyards from the auction. Needless to say, this is the prized vineyard of Liger-Belair. Not only is it the smallest Grand Cru and appellation in France (0.8 hectares), it is also just one of few Grand Cru monopoles in Burgundy. It lies directly above Romanée-Conti and also adjacent to Richebourg, at an altitude of 275-300 metres. It bears a similar soil profile to Romanée-Conti, although with less clay. Like many of the best winemakers in Burgundy, Louis-Michel practices biodynamic cultivation in all his vineyards, converting fully in 2008. He is passionate and hands-on, ploughing the vines himself with his horse Fanny. And in the growing trend of the younger generation of winemakers in Burgundy today, his style gravitates towards lighter and more approachable wines in their youth - less tannins and more aromatic fruit profile are the hallmarks of his wines. Avoiding over-extraction is the key, as he shortens the maceration period, and prolongs cold soaking to a week. As testament to the quality, Jancis Robinson MW notes that Aubert de Villaine "of the hallowed Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has nothing but praise for his young neighbour".
