Wine Advisor
Comte Liger Belair, Vosne Romanee La Colombiere 2010
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Description
Comte Liger Belair, Colombiere, Vosne Romanee, 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, Still, Red, 2013
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2010 Vosne-Romanee La Colombiere wafts from the glass with freshly cut flowers, sweet red spices, mint and rosemary. It possesses gorgeous aromatic lift and sweet, intense perfume and a sensual personality that is totally irresistible. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Louis-Michel Liger-Belair’s wines keep getting better. The improvement is less a reflection of the underlying vintages and more the result of the work the estate has done to convert their vineyards to biodynamic farming. These are some of the most unique and compelling wines being made anywhere in Burgundy. The house style emphasizes the weightless transparency, finesse and sweetness that only Pinot Noir (and perhaps Nebbiolo) is capable of. As good as the 2010s are, the 2009s have also turned out beautifully. I will report on those wines in the April issue. Readers may also want to check out my video interview with Louis-Michel Liger-Belair posted on www.erobertparker.com for more historical perspective on the domaine. Importer: Grand Cru 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".
