2013 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

The Ligniers started picking on October 6 in 2013, just after a period of rain. “It was a complicated harvest,” said Laurent Lignier, “and we needed to wait for ripeness.” In the end, they brought in their fruit with potential alcohol levels between 11% and 12.5% and chaptalized between 1 and 1.5 degrees. They carried out a severe trie to eliminate rotten grapes on their vibrating table. Laurent described the 2013s as "saline and minerally, fresh and precise, while the 2014 are fruitier." The Ligniers were careful with use of stems in 2013s, generally vinifying with no more than 20% whole clusters and in some cases destemming 100%.

The Ligniers waited until October 6 to start harvesting, then did significant sorting of the fruit due to the wide range of ripeness in 2013. "We gained in skin ripeness but not much in sugar during the last week," said Laurent Lignier. "And the cold weather kept the rot from spreading." He added that potential alcohol levels in the grapes ranged between 11% and 12.5% and that the wines were chaptalized between 1 and 1.5 degrees. Lignier describes the 2013s as "fresh and precise, with acidity present but not aggressive." The Ligniers used no more than 20% whole clusters in 2013 and totally destemmed several of their cuvées. All of the wines were still on their lees in November. Laurent prepared --and degassed--samples for me in advance of my visit.