Laurent Lignier has managed his Burgundy estate with finesse since 2006. With 11 hectares in the Côte de Nuits, his wines are beautifully silky, elegant, and perfect for cellaring.
Five Generations of Ligniers
Domaine Hubert Lignier was founded around 1880 by Jacques Lignier, who acquired some vines in Morey-St-Denis, in the heart of the Côte de Nuits. These precious plots were passed down, from generation to generation – from Jacques to Jules, then Henri to Hubert, who added 8 hectares of vines to the estate in the 1960s.
Fast forward to 1992, Romain Lignier joined his father at the estate before sadly passing away suddenly in 2004. His brother Laurent, with whom we had the pleasure of chatting to about his work earlier this week, was then passed the baton two years later. Equipped with both sales experience and technical skills for winemaking, Laurent has always strived to continue his family’s quest for excellence. The domain has recently expanded by 1.44 hectares by renting plots in various Burgundy appellations: Côtes de Beaune, Volnay, Monthelie and Monthelie Premier Cru, for a grand total of 11 hectares of vines.
Portrait of a winegrower: Laurent Lignier
It’s true that Laurent Lignier’s vines brush against the greatest in the region. Despite this, the winemaker has remained humble, while executing with excellence in every facet of his work. From his point of view, wine is the most natural thing in the world: “it brings people together, it is woven into our culture and social fabric, from wine enthusiasts to professionals in the wine industry, and my own employees”.
Being a vigneron allows him to keep his feet “firmly on the ground. My grandfather instilled it in me and made me want to pass this knowledge on to the next generation. I have two children who work with me [one with him on the estate, the other still studying] and I hope they can continue in this spirit”.
Respect for nature and commitment to the vines
Laurent Lignier is committed to sustainable organic farming, another thing that keeps his feet on the ground and his head from the clouds. Organic since the spring of 2016, the estate received its official certification for the 2019 vintage. Not satisfied with organic viticulture, in 2018 this driven winemaker began converting six plots spread over 2.5 hectares to biodynamic farming. Biodynamic viticulture is still rare in Burgundy as the wet climate does not help. Monts Luisants (the plot of the Grand Cru Clos de la Roche) as well as the climates Les Bussières, Les Seuvrees and some vines of Aligoté are included in the biodynamic vines.
Laurent Lignier also carries out massal selection within four parcels of the estate with TVB (Trame Verte et Bleue), an association whose mission is to preserve the ecological heritage of Burgundy. He expects to carry out massal selection on his Aligotés.
Lastly, in order to ensure the highest quality and maturity, yields are controlled. Unsurprisingly, the vines are hand-harvested and then meticulously sorted upon arrival at the winery
Check out all wines from Domaine Hubert Lignier available on iDealwine
