1995 Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Les Chaffots 1er Cru

I tasted four barrels of the Morey-St.-Denis Les Chaffots, each barrel having been made by a different tonnelier (or barrel-maker). The results were fascinating: While the overall quality of the wine did not change, the non-fruit components (bacon, earth, mocha, coffee and other various oak nuances) in the nose and mouth certainly did. This is an excellent, probably outstanding wine. Packed with ripe, tangy, berry fruits embedded in a creamy, silky-textured style, this medium-bodied, complex beauty needs 4-5 years of cellaring; it will hold for up to 8 years. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. The wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Pinot Noir, a fragile varietal, reacts poorly to fining, filtration, and careless bottling techniques, I recommend caution when considering buying a red burgundy based on cask samples. I called it as I tasted it, and hope the bottled wine reflects the quality of the samples I was provided. Importer: Neal Rosenthal, Select Vineyards, Shekomeko, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990.