2015 - Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Lignier-Michelot

Good full, bright red; the darkest of these 2015s. Inviting aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, chocolate and five-spice powder. Juicy and crunchy in the context of the vintage; dense and thick but not heavy, with its penetrating, fruit-driven flavors framed by surprising harmonious acidity and saline minerality. This very ripe and rather stylish Clos de la Roche finishes with substantial refined tannins and excellent length and lift. Like several other of these 2015s, this seems fresher in the bottle than it was from barrel in late 2016. Virgile Lignier vinified most of his 2015 crus with 70% or 80% whole clusters and as his stems were fully ripe owing to his late harvesting, they add an essential element of energy without introducing greenness into the wines.