With an enviable arsenal of world-famous vineyards and a mindblowing lineup that has reimagined the very definition of luxury Pinot Noir, Domaine Georges Lignier is on the fast track to dominating Grand Cru Burgundy’s hall of fame. These rare gems are the embodiment of “Burgundy’s one percent,” and if you’re seeking impeccable, top-level Grand Crus with a colossal ROI, today’s 2016 “Clos Saint-Denis” is worth going all-in on. 

Essentially one in five vines in this legendary, millennium-deep Grand Cru is owned by Domaine Lignier, making it the undisputed heavyweight champion of this fabled terroir. What’s more, genius winemaker Benoit Stehly has been on a sizzling streak of crafting Pinots with dimension-bending quality and approachability in their youth. The 2016s, however, have gone interstellar: One of our many trusted liaisons in Burgundy exclaimed that they’re “certainly the most impressive, concentrated, and complex wines we have yet seen from the estate.” So, trust us when we say today’s prized bottling will speak volumes in a fully-loaded cellar and command an awed silence at a dinner table over the next 15+ years. Offering any Grand Cru from Lignier is always an extremely rewarding and hard-earned opportunity—don’t miss out. Up to four bottles per person. 

Domaine Georges Lignier has been producing wine in Morey-Saint-Denis for decades, and with the single largest stake in Grand Cru “Clos Saint-Denis,” plus ownership in Grand Crus “Charmes-Chambertin,” “Clos de la Roche” and today’s “Bonnes-Mares,” it’s hard to dispute that Lignier has perhaps the most valuable collection of vineyards in the appellation. Benoit Stehly, nephew of Georges Lignier, apprenticed in the vines and cellar for 10+ years before assuming control in 2008. Following an era of post-succession confusion and stylistic soul-searching, the quality of the wine at this address has skyrocketed in recent vintages and now matches the extraordinary potential of his grand real estate. As a result, Domaine Georges Lignier is now one of the village’s most prestigious addresses. 

Benoit’s holdings in “Clos Saint-Denis” cover two parcels, averaging ~60 years of age, that total 1.49 hectares. In a vacuum, this would appear to be a minuscule amount of raw material, but when considering the entire Grand Cru sits at just 6.6 hectares, their portion becomes tremendously large. The property’s signature methods in the vines and cellar are traditional, but the “house style” is one that puts a premium on complexity and depth of aroma: fruit is harvested slightly later than that of their neighbors; 80% is de-stemmed; a close eye is kept on barrel levels and spontaneous fermentations; new oak never exceeds 40%; and extended maturations last 22 months. The wines are neither fined nor filtered. 

This is not your earthy, savory, mushroom-scented Burgundy. On the contrary, the estate’s recent celebrity is built on a lineup of wines that possess an intense lushness and purity of fruit—sumptuous is a perfect word for them. And, according to Jancis Robinson, today’s 2016 Clos Saint-Denis “best expresses what [Stehly] wants to do.” After opening our bottle at a table crowded with Burgundy hounds, we instantly understood why this expression is what he seeks out. The nose is dominated by lush red fruits and exotic perfumes that reveal themselves in the form of redcurrant, crushed Bing cherry, wild raspberry, spiced plum, pomegranate oil, rosehip, and blood orange zest, all of which mingle with finely crushed rocks, rich baking spices, struck flint, clay, and wisps of smoke. While it’s been ingrained in us that top Grand Cru Burgundy needs many, many years before opening, this quickly proves that theory wrong. At five years old, this plush, broadly layered, and highly nuanced Pinot Noir has already entered a profound drinking window, one that will stay open for another 10-15 years. Savor in Burgundy stems around 60 degrees, whenever a special occasion arises. Cheers!