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2008 Comte du Liger-Belair Echezeaux Grand Cru

$3,200.00
  • Producer
    Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
  • Vintage
    2008
  • Grape Variety
    Pinot Noir
  • Region
    Burgundy
  • Sub Region
    Flagey-Echezeaux
  • Importer Label
    Australia – Negociants Australia
  • Size
    Bottle
SKU: LIGBELECH08EC

Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair may be seen as a recent domaine as it was established only in the year 2000 by Louis-Michel Liger-Belair. However, in reality, Louis-Michel is just renewing two hundred years of family tradition dedicated to the vines and wines of Burgundy.

The Liger Belair family has a glorious history combining the church, the army and the wine trade. The first General Liger-Belair acquired the Chateau de Vosne-Romanée in 1815, as well as various vineyards, and when his nephew and adopted heir married a Marey heiress, the empire grew rapidly: at one point the Liger-Belairs owned La Tâche, La Romanée, La Grande Rue and significant holdings of Clos de Vougeot and Chambertin, along with an array of Vosne-Romanée premiers crus including vines in Malconsorts, Chaumes, Reignots, Suchots and Brûlées.

Unfortunately, complicated succession issues meant that the whole domaine was sold at auction in August 1933. Canon Just Liger-Belair and Comte Michel Liger-Belair between them managed to save La Romanée and small holdings of Aux Reignots and Les Chaumes. Comte Michel’s son Comte Henri devoted his career to the army, reaching the rank of general like his forebear, so the vines were looked after by sharecroppers and the wines sold through négociants.

Vicomte Louis-Michel Liger-Belair decided to recreate the family wine domaine in 2000, beginning with two plots of Vosne-Romanée and premier cru Les Chaumes. Two years later he took back control of Aux Reignots and La Romanée, although a commercial contract with Bouchard Père & Fils to distribute a proportion of the latter continued until 2006. In that year also a further 5.5 hectares of vineyards, on a farming contract from the Lamadon family, brought the domaine up to its present size.

Tasting Notes

94 Points Allen Meadows
This is the ripest and most aromatically complex wine to this point yet despite the heightened maturity, the nose remains quite cool and airy with ample spice notes characterizing the blue and black Pinot fruit that also evidence background notes of violets and rose petal. The seductive and broad-shouldered flavors are blessed with plenty of dry extract which confers a sappy texture to the firmly structured and strikingly well-balanced finish. This is so poised that it is Zen-like in its sense of harmony.

94 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Tasted at the Comte Liger-Belair vertical at the Château de Vosne. The 2008 Echézeaux Grand Cru is the first great Echézeaux under Louis-Michel Liger-Belair. Tasted twice in recent weeks, there is wondrous delineation and poise on the nose, real mineralité and sophistication. The palate is taut and crisp on the entry with blood orange, maraschino and marmalade that fans out in confident fashion on the vital finish. What a superb Echézeaux – it even shadows the 2009! The first great Echézeaux under Louis-Michel.

2008 Comte du Liger-Belair Echezeaux Grand Cru