Hubert Lignier Morey Saint Denis 1er cru Clos Baulet 2019

The 2019s, according to Laurent Lignier, possess 'all the characteristics of great Pinot Noir,' and that's an analysis with which I would concur. He has once again produced a fine vintage for both his domaine holdings and négociant sources—the latter, amounting to some 3.5 hectares of vines, now clearly distinguished in our reviews. As readers will know, winemaking is pretty classical at this address, with a short cold maceration, two to three weeks' maceration with one pigéage and one rémontage per day and maturation in barrels, some third of which are new—if possible, without racking—for fully 22 months in the domaine's cold cellars. Lignier began picking on September 16, and alcohol levels range between 13.5% and 14.7%, the latter extreme representing the exception rather than the rule. Tasting through the wines, the vast majority of which were in barrel and had not been racked, the most obvious analogy was with the domaine's 2015s at the same stage—but I look forward to revisiting them from bottle to confirm that impression.