Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair Cotes de Nuits-Villages Au Leurey Vigne de 1937 2021
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Au Leurey is the first vineyard of Côte de Nuits-Village in the south of appellation Nuits Saint-Georges. The neighborhood from premiers crus Clos de la Maréchal and Clos de l'Arlot offer an extremely favorable situation to produce an unexpected powerful wine for the appellation.
This vineyard was mostly planted in 1937 and is located on fairly shallow soil. Its south-east exposure also gives a good maturity in this fairly premature terroir. The presence of a lot of limestone in this vineyard allow to keep nice freshness.
100% Pinot Noir
This domaine, located in Nuits-Saint-Georges, has been in the Liger-Belair family for 250 years. In 2001, Thibault Liger-Belair took over the vines as the winemaker and created Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair. Prior to joining the family domaine, Thibault studied viticulture and oenology for six years, and worked for a communications firm in Paris where he was able to present and taste wines internationally. In his mid-twenties, Thibault also started an internet company with the idea of discovering and selling high quality wines. But the calling of the vines was still strong, so in 2001, at the age of 26, Thibault decided to jump to the other side of the fence, this time to make wine, his true calling and passion. The year 2002 was the first harvest of the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Charmottes, as well as Vosne-Romanée Aux Reas. In 2003, the domaine enriched its range with Richebourg Grand Cru, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Petits Monts, and Bourgogne Rouge. In 2009, the domaine expanded into Beaujolais, and now a Beaujolais-Villages and several Moulin-à-Vent Cru wines are also produced.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Bordering the most famous villages of the Côte de Nuits are the vineyards captured by the Côte de Nuits Villages name, which are essentially the vineyards within the commune appellation status. Wines from Fixin, Brochon, Prémeaux, Comblanchien and Corgoloin may be sold as Côte de Nuits-Villages. Typically these are red wines but whites can also hold the name.
Reds, exclusively of Pinot Noir, veer towards an intense garnet hue with characteristics of cherry, gooseberry or blackcurrant with notes of underbrush, wet earth and baking spices. Whites, made from Chardonnay, are fragrant, lively and fresh on the palate with apple, pear, fig or quince flavors.