Visit – Tasting of Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair 2013 from cask

On my November 2014 trip to Burgundy I had the opportunity to taste the 2013s from Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair. Expectations were high after tasting some very fine 2013s at other Domaines .. needless to say – I was not disappointed – the 2013s from Liger-Belair are very fine indeed.

Tasting of the 2013s from Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair

The overall impressions of the 2013s reds from Liger-Belair are very positive. The wines are rich and quite weighty with vibrant powerful acidity lurking underneath the intense yet delicate fruit. The wines are quite a bit more serious and aloof than the flamboyant 2012s … but nevertheless delightful in the well known Liger-Belair style. They just drink so well!

It’s a quite unique vintage .. most vintages in Burgundy are!! … as the wines have very fine phenolic ripeness and still maintain a very fresh and vibrant acidity – they will be exiting to follow.

Improving quality

Louis-Michel Liger-Belair is constantly working to improve quality and to refine the expression of the wines – and have made some changes over the recent years. 

And there are more to come … as Louis-Michel is planning to take the Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Grandes Vignes even further quality wise during the next years. First by excluding the young vines (0.7 ha) from the cuvee – thus only including the production from the 60 year old wines in the upper part of the vineyard. This change of the “cuvee” will most likely be implemented from the 2015 vintage. 

Furthermore Louis-Michel explained that he is likely to begin some experiments with high density planting of the vineyard (beyond 20.000 vines per ha) to see if this will take quality to even higher levels. Will indeed be exiting to follow the development of the Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Grandes Vignes over the next years.

Tasting notes for the Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair 2013s

The tasting included the whole range including the two recent additions to the range –  Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Grandes Vignes white and red. Louis-Michel uses 100% new oak for all wines except for the white, where the share of new oak is around 40%. The wines are mentioned in the order they were tasted.

Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Nuits-St-Georges Clos des Grandes Vignes Blanc 2013

Only the second vintage of this white for Louis-Michel – from the recently acquired vineyard Clos des Grandes Vignes in the southern Nuits-Saint-Georges. The wines were re-grafted with Chardonnay in 2010 – so this is a fairly new vineyard for the whites. Around 40% new oak is used. The bouquet is slightly reduced but offer citrus and oak infused yellow fruits – a bit more restrained than the forward 2012 at the same stage. On the palate quite intensely flavored yellow fruit – oak a bit forward currently – with the minerality and crisp acidity adding energy in the background. More aloof than the quite forward charming 2012 … but offer a more vibrant acidity. 

(Drink from 2020) – Very Good+ – (88 – 90p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Romanee 2013

The Vosne Romanee Village – slightly reduced – offer a lovely spicy nose – red and dark berry fruit spiced with violets, pepper and cinnamon. The palate show lovely weighty fruit – good complexity – fine midpalate concentration for this level. The finish is surprisingly focused thanks to the vibrant 2013 acidity. Love the tension and balance in this wine – the generic Vosne village is improving year after year.

(Drink from 2023) – Very Good+ – (89 – 91p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Nuits-Saint-Georges Lavieres 2013

The Nuits-Saint-Georges Lavieres offer a slightly darker side of the Liger-Belair lineup. In the nose lovely red and dark berry fruit spiced with a nice earthy minerality and a healthy dose of new oak. The palate offers quite weighty fruit – seems a bit darker than in the previous vintages – very balanced with a nice energy from the 2013 acidity. A bit more on the NSG side than usual .. but nevertheless a lovely glass.

(Drink from 2023) – Very Good – (88 – 90p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Romanee Colombiere 2013

The Colombiere 2013 is quite a step up from the generic village – as it offers a more focused and refined expression of terroir. The nose display deep fruit – showing lovely juicy red and dark berries – bursting with Vosne spicyness – violets and cinnamon – combined with a nice expression of minerality. The palate is showing juicy vibrant fruit with the support of the fine minerality and a crisp acidity. It’s quite weighty for this level – but maintains a lovely mineralic tension and nerve. A lovely Colombiere in the making … the 2013 acidity is a perfect match for this terroir.

(Drink from 2025) – Fine – (90 – 91p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Romanee Clos du Chateau 2013

The Clos du Chateau 2013 was bottled already on September 25th … so this note is based on a tasting of the bottled wine. The Clos du Chateau is another step up adding even more minerality and Vosne spicyness. The bouquet offers juicy fruit, crisp minerality and loads of Vosne spices. On the palate excellent weight for this level – the fruit is deep and quite silky with a nice backbone of crisp acidity and stony minerality. The bottled wine really show the considerable density and intensity in the 2013 vintage … the ripe fruit is in this case nevertheless both refined and complex … and beautifully focused by the terroir and acidity.

(Drink from 2025) – Fine+ – (91 – 92p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from Bottle

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Romanee Les Chaumes 2013

Les Chaumes is surprisingly crisp and energetic in the 2013 vintage – no doubt helped by the 15% whole cluster and the potent 2013 acidity. The bouquet offer rich almost velvet dark berry fruit spiced with cinnamon and allspice. On the palate quite weighty fruit – lovely energy from the fine acidity that accentuates the mineralic components of the wine. A lovely Les Chaumes … a fine year for this terroir – Louis-Michel seems to improve this wine each year.

(Drink from 2026) – Fine – (91 – 92p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Romanee Les Suchots 2013

As I always mention .. Les Suchots is not my favorite wine from Liger-Belair … but I must say that both the 2012 and 2013 versions are showing very well.  In the bouquet a delicate collection of darker berries – quite floral (15% whole cluster) with the oak slightly more present. On the palate very good focus, a deep fruit and a fine balance from the crisp and energetic 2013 acidity. The whole clusters really bring forward the best in this  wine, and the floral spiciness is further enhanced by the underlying acidity. So let’s promote Suchots to the “cool wall” in 2013.

(Drink from 2026) – Fine – (91 – 93p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Romanee Les Petit Monts 2013

The Vosne Les Petit Monts is always a very charming wine – and the 2013 is certainly no exception. In the floral and delightfully perfumed bouquet – loads of refined sweet fruit with notes of dark forest berries, hint of pomegranate, allspice and peony rose. On the palate lovely intense fruit – brought forward by the filigree minerality and a fresh acidity. I adore the very fine energy and nerve in this wine … and its relative lightness in body and spirit. 

(Drink from 2024) – Very Fine – (93 – 94p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Nuit-Saint-Georges Les Cras 2013

Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Cras is a slightly overlooked terroir … but in my view one of the very best terroirs in the appellation. This terroir renders a mineralic drive and energy to the wine … adding a lot of complexity and nerve making it one of the most complete terroirs in NSG. The bouquet in the 2013 edition is offering red and dark berry fruit brought forward by a lovely vivid salty minerality. On the palate juicy and pure fruit … its vibrant and layered with a delicate play between red and dark fruit. I love this terroir … 

(Drink from 2026) – Fine+ – (92 – 93p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Romanee Les Brulees 2013

The Brulees is a very rare bird indeed. Liger-Belair only makes one cask from the 0,1157ha and the wine is not sold on the market – sadly. Les Brulees is slightly reduced (always seems to be at this stage) with an otherwise quite floral nose .. offering fine complex red and dark fruits, fine minerality spiced with cinnamon, allspice and a hint of peony rose. On the palate quite weighty with a lovely tension between the rich fruit and the powerful mineral infused acidity – intense and balanced – a delightful wine. 

(Drink from 2026) – Very Fine – (93 – 94p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Nuits-St-Georges Clos des Grandes Vignes 2013

The Nuits Saint Georges Clos des Grandes Vignes has taken a big step forward quality wise in the 2013 vintage – the style is now fully aligned with the rest of the Liger-Belair wines. The bouquet is quite forward offering rich dark berry fruit spiced by a nice earthy minerality and a touch of oak. On the palate lovely rich fruit – quite transparent and weighty with a delightful Vosne reference chez Louis-Michel. I really like the energy and drinkability of this wine … and it’s now well integrated in the lineup. That being said it needs some improvement to reach the level and focus of the magnificent Aux Cras … but with the initiatives planned it will be exiting to follow over the next vintages.

(Drink from 2023) – Fine – (90 – 91p) – Tasted 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne-Romanee Aux Reignots 2013

The Aux Reignots is a serious and powerful wine in 2013 … darker and more densely knit than in the recent vintages. In the bouquet mineral infused dark berry fruit – somewhat reduced currently – intense and powerful with a nice floral touch. On the palate layers of relatively dark fruit – well balanced by the fine acidity and the slightly salty and smoky minerality of the Reignots terroir. The nerve and tension in the wine is there .. but it will require plenty of years in the cellar to unfold the full complexity hidden underneath the serious and intense facade.

(Drink from 2030) – Very Fine – (93 – 94p) – 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2013

The Echezeaux is one of the highlights in the 2013 Liger-Belair lineup – made from old vines in the climates Cruots, Champs Traversin and a small plot in Clos St. Denis. In the bouquet layers of juicy and quite vibrant red and dark fruits – notes of boysenberries, pomegranate – energized by a vibrant mineral infused acidity. On the palate rich and weighty fruit … brought forward by a multidimensional filigree minerality and further accentuated by the powerful and frisky 2013 acidity. This is certainly a fine vintage for Echezeaux .. and Louis-Michel made the most of this opportunity … a delightful Echezeaux in the making.

(Drink from 2028) – Very Fine+ – (94 – 95p) – 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, La Romanee 2013

La Romanee 2013 is a as always quite a step up from the Echezeaux … to a more serious yet also refined level. In the bouquet layers of very intense fruit – notes of boysenberries, cherries, violets and peony rose – brought forward by a very refined mineral infused acidity. On the palate layers of juicy and intense fruit – it’s powerful rather than dense with a tremendous underlying minerality. Its slightly darker than in the previous vintages .. thus feeling slightly less expressive. It’s a big and intense wine – but the mighty terroir is offering plenty of detail even at this stage. Will need plenty of time in the cellar to unfold … but the lucky owners who wait are in for a treat.

(Drink from 2030) – Outstanding+ – (96 – 97p) – 05/11/2014 – from CASK

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Lastest Tasting Notes for this producer

• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Echezeaux 2019 July 4, 2023
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée 2014 April 15, 2023
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Cras 2014 April 15, 2023
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Echezeaux 2014 April 14, 2023
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée Clos du Château 2014 October 25, 2022
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée La Colombière 2009 October 21, 2022
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée Clos du Chateau 2013 March 23, 2022
• Domaine Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée Clos du Chateau 2007 in magnum September 8, 2021
• Domaine Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée Clos du Chateau 2018 September 8, 2021
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne Clos du Chateau 2009 January 3, 2020
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Clos de Chateau 2009 July 26, 2019
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Clos du Chateau 2016 March 6, 2019
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2009 March 6, 2019
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2009 October 17, 2018
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, La Romanee 2006 September 6, 2018
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne-Romanee Aux Reignots 2009 May 1, 2018
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Clos du Chateau 2015 December 15, 2017
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, La Romanee 2010 December 5, 2017
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne Clos du Chateau 2011 December 2, 2017
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2011 July 20, 2017

All tasting notes for Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair (click here)

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