2012 Clos de la Roche

(13.3% natural alcohol: the malo only finished in October; vinified with 15% whole clusters): Full red-ruby. Reduced aromas of black raspberry and menthol. Broad but juicy and tight; high-pitched and mineral-driven. This is by far the least advanced 2012 of the collection today. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lovely persistence. Perhaps still a touch of malic acidity here. I may be underrating this.

Lignier's 2012 Clos de la Roche is striking. Smoke, ash, licorice and black cherries all burst from the glass. The 2012 is powerful and explosive to the core, with imposing structure, tons of depth and exceptional overall balance. The Clos de la Roche is the slowest wine to develop in the cellar. Malos weren't finished until October 2013! This is a fabulous showing from Lignier.

The 2012 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru was riveting in barrel, so how would it perform in bottle? Instantly one can see that it is deeper in color than the Charmes-Chambertin (not that counts for much in Burgundy). The bouquet has closed a little since I last encountered this Grand Cru from barrel, but with patience it reveals gorgeous dark cherries, red plum, mineral and spice aromas, all gently unfurling. The palate is astonishingly fine. Here it fulfills its promise, a Grand Cru of intensity and finesse. It is blessed with a silky smooth texture but underneath that is exquisite balance and mineralité. It offers the sensuality of Clos de la Roche but with a rarefied level of refinement. You will be hard pressed to find a better Clos-de-la-Roche better than this. eRobertParker.com.June, 2015