1993 Charmes Chambertin

Both of Lignier's grand crus, Charmes-Chambertin and Clos de la Roche, are superstars of the vintage. They are fabulous efforts in this variable year with awesome concentration levels, super-intense fruit and extract, as well as persuasive elegance and grace. Both wines reveal deep, saturated colors. The Charmes-Chambertin possesses less structure and body, but it is a rich, powerful wine that should drink well in 2-3 years and last for 15. Hubert Lignier's 1993s may turn out to resemble the long-lived, powerful 1969s from the Cote de Nuits. If you can find any of these wines, don't dare miss them. They unquestionably merit their prices! Along with the wines from Domaine Leroy, Domaine Maurice and Claude Dugat, and Domaine Ponsot, the other unequivocal great successes in 1993 are the wines of Hubert Lignier. His wines are atypically super-concentrated, powerful, rich, sweet, expansive red Burgundies that exhibit the structure, but none of the harsh tannins of many 1993s. Moreover, they possess layers of highly extracted, rich, creamy fruit that could only have come from physiologically ripe grapes and low yields. Importer: Neal Rosenthal, Select Vineyard, New York, NY; tel. (212) 249-6650