Monday, December 19, 2016

Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George, from Barrel and from Bottle, with Thibault Liger-­Belair - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George, from Barrel and from Bottle, with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Following lunch at La Cabotte, the best restaurant in Nuits-Saint-George and one of the best restaurants in the Bourgogne region, we walked over to Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair for a tasting with Thibault Liger-­Belair in the cellar of the domaine. We tasted from barrel and from bottle.

Pictures: Walking over to Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George

The domaine has been in the Liger-­Belair family for 250 years. The somewhat complicated history came to a happy end when Thibault Liger­Belair took charge of the vines as winemaker and created Domaine Thibault Liger­Belair in 2001. In 2003 he added parcels of Richebourg, Clos Vougeot, and in Vosne­Romanée to his vineyard portfolio. He also bought vineyards in the Beaujolais region, in Moulin­à­Vent. He wants to farm biodynamically but it takes some transition time to convert the vineyards. Thibault is emerging as one of the few truly great winemakers in Nuits­-Saint­-George.

Pictures: Welcome

Vineyard Brands: Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George

This domaine, located in Nuits-St.-Georges, has been in the Liger-Belair family for 250 years.  In 2001, Vincent’s son, Thi­bault Liger-Belair, took over the vines as the winemaker and created Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair. Thibault says “the whole of the crus composing the domaine and the tradition inherited of a long, family experience requires us today to work the vines with the utmost respect of the terroirs. The quality is primarily decided in the vineyard by attentive cultivation and that one must remain humble in front of the magic of our terroirs. For this reason, the whole of the domaine is cultivated in biological agriculture, both the treatment of the vines and the soil maintenance. I do not practice biological culture as a sacrifice to fashion but by vocation, since I feel that if we want to produce great wines, it is imperative to question each step of the process.”

Pictures: Thi­bault Liger-Belair Introducing us to the Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair

The domaine, located in Nuits-St.-Georges, has almost 18 acres distributed among the following appellations:

Richebourg: 1.36 acres – planted in 1936
Clos Vougeot: 1.85 acres – planted in 1948
Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru les Saint Georges: 5.19 acres – planted in 1944
Vosne Romanee 1er Cru les Petits-Monts: .247 acres – planted in 1954
Vosne Romanee aux Reas: 1.36 acres – planted in 1956
Nuits Saint Georges la Charmotte: .98 acre – planted in 1962
Gevrey-Chambertin les Croix des Champs: .49 acre – planted in 1964
Bourgogne les Grand Chaillots: 1.97 acres – planted in 1986
Hautes-Côtes de Nuits le Clos du Prieuré: 2.72 acres – planted in 1986
Hautes-Côtes de Nuits la Corvée de Villy: 1.73 acres – planted in 1988

and under T. Liger-Belair Successeur:
Corton Renardes Grand Cru: .914 acre – planted in 1965
Corton les Rognets Grand Cru: .44 acre – planted in 1960

The domaine has been in the Liger-Belair family for 250 years. In 1720, Claude Marey, the king’s secretary and mayor of Nuits, and a vineyard proprietor, founded the C. Marey house to sell his fine wines. His son, Claude Philibert Marey, also mayor of Nuits, died in 1804 and his youngest son, Guillaume Felix Marey, took over the business. In 1852 his nephew, Comte Liger-Belair, proprietor of Grands Crus in Vosne-Romanée, became his business partner under the name C. Marey et Comte Liger-Belair.

Pictures: Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George, from Barrel and from Bottle, with Thibault Liger-­Belair

The domaine passed down through the family for the next 5 generations. In 1982 Xavier Liger-Belair died and the business was sold. That same year Xavier’s son, Vincent Liger-Belair, took over the buildings and restructured the domaine by having three sharecropper winemakers handle the work. Then in 2001, Vincent’s son, Thibault Liger-Belair, took over the vines as the winemaker and created Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair.



Pictures: Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George, from Barrel and from Bottle, with Thibault Liger-­Belair

He simultaneously started T. Liger-Belair Successeur company. Having studied viticulture and oenology for six years, Thibault then worked for a communications firm in Paris where he was able to present and taste wines internationally. Two years later, he started an internet company with the idea of discovering and selling high quality wines. But the calling of the vines was still strong, so in 2001, at the age of 26, Thibault decided to jump to the other side of the fence, this time to make wine, his true calling and passion. The year 2002 was the first harvest of the Saint Georges appellation, Charmottes de Nuits as well as Vosne Romanee Aux Reas. In 2003, the domaine enriched and completed its range with Richebourg, Clos Vougeot, Vosne Romanee 1er Cru les Petits Monts and Bourgogne Rouge.

Pictures: Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George, from Barrel and from Bottle, with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Three coopers are used at the domaine: Tonnelerie François Frères, Tonnellerie Mercurey and Tonnellerie Dominique Laurent. Thibault Liger-Belair closely follows the wood selection according to the texture and origin and imposes a three-year drying period before barrels are made. This allows the use of perfectly dry wood which obtains superior tannin quality, making them much silkier and delicate. Rarely is more than 50% new wood used at Domaine Liger-Belair. The wines are aged according to their appellations, between 14 and 18 months, without racking or any other aeration. They are neither fined nor filtered.


Pictures: Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George, from Barrel and from Bottle, with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Philosophy - The Vines: Thibault says “the whole of the crus composing the domaine and the tradition inherited of a long, family experience requires us today to work the vines with the utmost respect of the terroirs. The quality is primarily decided in the vineyard by attentive cultivation and that one must remain humble in front of the magic of our terroirs. For this reason, the whole of the domaine is cultivated in biological agriculture, both the treatment of the vines and the soil maintenance. I do not practice biological culture as a sacrifice to fashion but by vocation, since I feel that if we want to produce great wines, it is imperative to question each step of the process. The six appellations that I cultivate are worked in different ways as to their soil and climate. The richness of our terroirs demands that we reflect on each individual parcel to be worked, rather than doing systematic work as if often done. The role I impose on myself consists in “listening” to the vine and observing it closely. My responsibility is to better answer its needs and thus to help it realize all its natural potential – not to require that it produce large quantities of grapes but to produce a limited quantity of exceptional quality.

Pictures: Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger-­Belair in Nuits-­Saint­-George, from Barrel and from Bottle, with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Philosophy - The cellar: As I practice this philosophy in the production of grapes, I apply it to the vinification and raising of the wines, trying to produce crus of great purity, without artifice or abusive extraction. I am not trying to sign my wines but rather work in such a way that one may recognize the terroirs whence they are issued. I would find it difficult to explain to you my vinification method, as it differs every year. The only common point remains in bringing in the grapes in an irreproachable sanitary state and in handling each operation delicately. I am trying to infuse instead of extract. The less one mistreats the grape, the better the wine shall be.”

Thibault Liger-Belair bought a piece of property in the Beaujolais region, in the appellation Moulin-à-Vent, what many consider the top appellation in the region, and capable of living the longest of all the Beaujolais wines. 2009 was his first vintage there. Thibault will farm biodynamically, but it will take some years to transition the vineyards. He owns 8 acres and the average vine age is 60 years.

Bye-bye

Many thanks Thibault for an exceptional tasting.

Pictures: Thibault Liger-Belair with Annette and Christian Schiller

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