Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2022 3L DOUBLE MAGNUM

95-98 Pts Jasper Morris: Two thirds is in the Mont Luisants sector, one third Fremières. Fine mid purple. The nose is not vastly demonstrative but it is very fine. Then, afterwards, the wine expands enormously on the palate, almost as if there was some seductive Clos St Denis in the mix, but otherwise the wine is classic Clos de la Roche with perfect poise. Lovely. Drink from 2032-2045. Tasted Nov 2023.

97 Pts Tim Atkin: Laurent combines part of his Mont Luisants with all of Les Fremières in this Clos de la Roche bottling. This is a very different and much sleeker expression than the MCMLV. It showcases more red fruits and feels a bit heavier as its velvety tannins gum onto the palate and its judicious acidity works hard to support the ample extract and youthful baby fat. It should tighten up in bottle. What really brings this home is the very long, multi-dimensional finish with strong mineral accents. The complexity is waiting to be unleashed.

95 Pts Decanter: Beautiful, sweet black cherry fruit aromas with lovely floral notes and earthy, mineral complexity float from the glass of Lignier's Clos de la Roche. The texture is silky, fresh and lively, yet there is enough density to ensure that this will make old bones if desired. It is a blend of Monts Luisiants and Fremières; all the vines are 60 – 70 years of age. The grapes are partially destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (30% new). Ideally, one would wait five to seven years before opening, but it is so attractive it may be difficult to hold off that long.

93-95+ Wine Advocate: The 2022 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru unwinds in the glass with aromas of smoky plums and berries mingled with notions of cinnamon, raw cocoa, game bird and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with supple, powdery tannins cloaked by a sweet core of fruit, it concludes with a broad but saline finish. Laurent Lignier picked his domaine holdings and négociant purchases, the latter amounting to the equivalent of some 3.5 hectares of vines, over the first dozen days of September, opting to retain around one-third whole bunches across the whole range. As readers will remember, winemaking is pretty classical at this address, with a short cold maceration, two to three weeks of maceration with one pigéage and one rémontage per day and maturation in barrels, some third of which are new—if possible, without racking—for fully 22 months in the domaine's cold cellars.