Thibault Liger-Belair Bourgogne Chardonnay Les Charmes 2020

Thibault Liger-Belair is cousin to Vicomte Liger Belair of Vosne Romanée. In 2001 he took over an old family property in Nuits St Georges, taking back the vines which had been contracted out to various share croppers, and leased a cuverie just down the road. The vines are now certified organic and farmed biodynamically, horses are used to plough the vineyards where possible. The grapes are rigorously sorted, then destalked and fermented. They will be racked once during the elevage, but Thibault is not afraid of reductive flavours at this stage which, he feels, adds to the eventual substance and complexity of the wine. The oak rotation is not allowed to reach over 50% new barrels but also not to use any barrels more than three years old. The natural style of Thibault’s wines are rich and full-bodied, though the benefits of his farming methods Bring a slighty more mineral aspect to the fruity wines.