2016 Lignier-Michelot, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru, Les Faconnieres

The 2016 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Faconnières 1er Cru has an engaging and complex bouquet: red berry fruit, touches of Chinese tea and brown spices all well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, and a little chewy in the middle. It becomes fleshier towards the finish with a gentle grip. Whether it is a long-term prospect is another question - it needs more grip and substance to convince me of that and in fact, those develop with aeration. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

(13.2% alcohol; vinified with 80% whole clusters; from 70- and 53-year-old vines that produced 43 hectoliters per hectare): Good dark red. Offers another dimension on the nose, with its aromas of dark cherry, raspberry and soil lifted by floral high tones. Harmonious acidity gives lovely juicy definition and lift to the wine's intense cherry and dark raspberry fruit. Quite refined for a wine from this cellar. Really perfumes the mouth and rises on the finish, which features firm but smooth tannins and lovely lift.

Livelier than the Vieilles Vignes with pace and freshness. Very correct. Lots to chew on. Not ridiculously expensive. Depth on the, still slightly dry, finish. (JR)