Domaine Hubert Lignier, Pinot Noir, Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru "Les Chaffots" Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France 2018

Les Chaffots is the muscular, brooding counterpart to the more elegant La Riotte, offering an immensity of structure and ruggedness of fruit that allows the wine to age effortlessly for decades. It is even more profoundly mineral-driven than La Riotte, with a deeper register to its spicy, meaty aromas, and an almost shocking intensity and concentration on the palate. This is rich and broad, but still amazingly graceful — beautifully “old-school” in its demeanor.

Located just above the Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, at 330 meters altitude, on a hillside with an east-southeast incline. The vineyards receive an exceptional amount of sunlight as well as freshness due to the altitude and the nearby valley. The wine is among the strongest-colored of the domaine’s wines and nicely balanced with a pure, taut character and mature tannins. Excellent cellar-aging potential.