1997 Morey-Saint-Denis (M)

Romain Lignier told me he has essentially adhered to his father's winemaking techniques yet has made a number of significant changes. He has lengthened the pre-fermentation cold maceration and done more pigeage. He pays more attention to the sources and quality of his barrels, and has also increased the percentage of new barrels to as much as two-thirds for the crus in years like '96 and '99. And, he has taken a variety of steps to hold down yields, including using cordon royat pruning for his more prolific younger vines. "Nineteen ninety-six is looking like a great year," says Romain; "nineteen ninety-eight is a bit less concentrated, with lower acidity." It was essential to eliminate the botrytis-affected grapes in the vines, and not allow them to come in contact with the healthy fruit; less-ripe fruit was also eliminated. Yields in his village parcels were higher in '98 than in '97, but generally lower for the crus.

The Ligniers have capitalized on the great ripeness of the '97 vintage, making wines with extravagant, sometimes gamey richness and great fat in the mouth. "They were Cote Rotie like before malo; now they're more pinot," is the way Romain Lignier describes the evolution of these wines during their first year in barrel. (Some of these wines reminded me of ripe year right bank Bordeaux in their density and structure.) The Phs, Lignier adds, are in the high average range; there wasn't much malic acid in the grapes and thus little acidity was lost during the secondary fermentation. The village wines had not been racked at the time of my November visit and were to have been bottled in January and February, whereas the crus were racked last summer and will be bottled in April and May. The Lignier '96s, meanwhile, are superb, and destined for long life. Lignier describes this vintage as fruitier and higher in acid than 1990 but similar in style. 1997, he added, is more like 1991.