Wine of the week: a lovingly crafted burgundy

16.03.2007

by Matthew Jukes

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I have just returned from Burgundy where I visited some of the newly emerging Domaines – the sort that the young winemakers talk about secretly over dinner, including this week's recommendation:

2004 Nuits-Saint-Georges, 1er Cru Les Saint Georges, Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair, Burgundy, France (£41.95 per bottle; £37.75 by the case, Lea & Sandeman of London, 020-7244 0522).

Thibault Liger-Belair’s is very much ‘silver spoon’ potential – his ancestors helped give this hallowed region its modern-day shape and direction, while his extended family still owns a lot of serious vineyards. So, in theory, he would be easy to snipe down if he himself ever decided to enter the fray and make wine. As it turned out, he launched an internet wine site that made serious waves and, with the magnetic pull back to Burgundy, he sold it and went to fulfill his destiny.

I tasted in his freezing cellar and was blown away. His winemaking background and knowledge mean he has extraordinarily high standards. He not only supervises his own cork production, but buys entire oak trees and walks them through the barrel-making process, ensuring nothing is out of place or rushed. This is one estate you need to follow. Patrick and Charles at Lea & Sandeman have a small parcel of Nuits-Saint-Georges’ top vineyard: please take advantage and then ask them about 2005s and reserving 2006s. I’ve tasted them all as babies out of barrel: they looked superb!

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