Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Overview
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair is one of the finest estates in Vosne-Romanée, run by Louis-Michel Liger-Belair. The domaine’s crown jewel is the monopole of La Romanée grand cru (the smallest AOC in France). The estate also holds parcels in Echézeaux, Grands Echézeaux, Clos de Vougeot, and an extensive portfolio of Vosne-Romanée premier crus (Malconsorts, Suchots, Petits Monts, Aux Reignots, Aux Brûlées, Croix Rameau, Les Chaumes) and Nuits-St-Georges premier crus (Aux Cras, Clos des Grandes Vignes monopole).
Appellations
- Vosne-Romanée (La Romanée monopole grand cru; numerous premier crus)
- Echézeaux, Grands Echézeaux, Clos de Vougeot (grand crus)
- Nuits-St-Georges (Aux Cras, Clos des Grandes Vignes premier crus)
Key Wines
- La Romanée — monopole; the smallest AOC in France; consistently one of Burgundy’s finest wines
- Grands Echézeaux
- Vosne-Romanée “Aux Malconsorts”
- Vosne-Romanée “Aux Reignots”
Style Notes
Liger-Belair’s wines are typically sleek, mineral-driven, and refined. He uses no whole clusters and moderate new oak. The La Romanée is the epitome of Vosne elegance — always needing extended cellaring. The estate’s Nuits “Aux Cras” is “textbook” in its stony minerality.
2024 and 2023 Vintage Notes (Burghound #101)
Louis-Michel Liger-Belair called 2024 “pretty much a losing battle from start to finish.” Smallest crop ever — yields off 80% (only 7 hl/ha). Made 19 treatments against mildew. Picked September 14-19. Sugars ~12.5%, minimal chaptalization. Used no whole clusters. Vinifications “difficult as the quantities were so small.” No Colombière, Aux Réas, Les Chaumes, Aux Brûlées, Croix Rameau, or white from Nuits “Clos des Grandes Vignes” in 2024. 2023s bottled Jan-June 2025.
2024 Scores (barrel):
- La Romanée: (93-96) — “stunning good length on the compact, dusty, youthfully austere and equally well-balanced finale”; needs 7-8 years minimum
- Grands Echézeaux: (93-95) — “seriously impressive”
- Clos de Vougeot: (92-94) — “excellent”; less austere than usual
- Echézeaux: (92-94) — “excellent and should also repay extended cellaring”
- Vosne-Romanée “Aux Reignots” 1er: (91-94) — “Classy juice with the development potential to match”
- Vosne-Romanée “Les Malconsorts” 1er: (91-94) — “indisputably built-to-age”
- Vosne-Romanée “Les Petits Monts” 1er: (91-93) — “lovely…particularly like the balance”
- Nuits “Aux Cras” 1er: (91-93) — “textbook Aux Cras”
- Vosne-Romanée “Les Suchots” 1er: (90-93) — “notably firmer”
- Vosne-Romanée “1er” (Chaumes+Brûlées+Croix Rameau): (90-92)
- Nuits “Clos des Grandes Vignes” 1er: (89-92) — monopole
- Vosne-Romanée “Clos du Château”: (89-91) — .83 ha monopole
- Vosne-Romanée: (89-91)
2023 Scores (bottle):
- La Romanée: 96 — “seriously classy juice”; needs 15 years to full maturity
- Grands Echézeaux: 95 — “stunningly good”; approachable after 7-8 years
- Echézeaux: 94 — “potentially outstanding”
- Vosne-Romanée “Aux Brûlées” 1er: 93 — bottled only in mags/jéros for charity
- Clos de Vougeot: 93 — “an excellent Clos de Vougeot in time”
- Vosne-Romanée “Les Malconsorts” 1er: 93 — “very much built to repay extended keeping”
- Vosne-Romanée “Les Suchots” 1er: 93 — “not especially dense” but excellent track record
- Vosne-Romanée “Les Chaumes” 1er: 92 — “unusually robust Chaumes”
- Nuits “Aux Cras” 1er: 91
- Vosne-Romanée “La Croix Rameau” 1er: 91
- Vosne-Romanée “Clos du Château”: 91 — needs years to integrate wood
- Vosne-Romanée “Les Petits Monts” 1er: 91 — wood question marks
- Nuits “Clos des Grandes Vignes” 1er: 90
- Vosne-Romanée “La Colombière”: 90 — “excellent and recommended”
- Vosne-Romanée “Aux Réas”: 90 — “textbook Aux Réas”
- Nuits “Les Lavières”: 89
- Vosne-Romanée: 89
My Tastings
(none yet)
Sources
sources/articles/Burghound/Burghound Issue 101 - 2024 and 2023 Cote de Nuits Reds.txt