Brother and sister Antoine and Héloïse Lienhardt are making beautifully expressive Burgundies in humble Comblanchien

Terroir for Everyone from Antoine Lienhardt

Share

We will readily admit to an abiding love for Burgundy. The great names roll off the tongue: Amoureuses, Musigny, Romanée, Richebourg... The thought of these sets the heart racing. And while we'd love to drink these and savor the organoleptic nuances between the terroirs of, say, Latricières-Chambertin and Ruchottes-Chambertin on a regular basis, our budgets simply don't allow for us to do so. But there's plenty of terroir in Burgundy and while not all climats are created equal, there's plenty of compelling tasting opportunities in comparing the wines from the humbler crus and lieux-dits. We've praised the virtues and values of villages such as Marsannay and Maranges before, but another fine source for affordable Burgundy with compelling terroir delineation can be found in Côte-de-Nuits Villages. Sometimes viewed as a catchall, which can include wines from peripheral villages, there are a few growers whose bottles transcend the genre.

One of our favorites is a relative newcomer, Antoine Lienhardt from Comblanchien, a village perhaps more noted for the quarrying of its eponymous limestone rather than viticulture. Though the family had grown grapes for years, Antoine was the first to bottle wines in 2011 after taking over his family's vines, which had been leased out since the early 1990s; Prior to this he had worked for Amiot-Servelle in Chambolle-Musigny. Viticulture is organic and the soils are worked by horse. Yields are intentionally kept low for greater terroir expression.  Fermentation is with native yeasts and there is minimal use of new oak.

At the heart of domaine's holdings are two lieux-dits in Comblancien planted in the 1960s by his grandfather. Separated by a mere 200 meters, Les Plantes Aux Bois and Les Essards both have shallow top soils of calcareous clay (50 cm) overlying mother rock of hard limestone. The main differences between the parcels are the rockier top soils in Les Essards and greater clay content of those in Les Plantes Aux Bois (in addition, though of similar exposure, the rows in the former run east-west, while the latter run north-south). As in the rest of Burgundy, small variations make for distinctive flavor profiles: Les Plantes Aux Bois is more generous, a touch broader, and more lush; Les Essards a bit leaner, nervier, taut, and more pungently mineral and cool-toned. Both have lively acidity, energetic minerality, and a compelling tension between the pure Pinot fruit and savory earthiness. Decant if enjoying now or cellar for 5-7 years to allow for further knitting of the structural elements. These are delicious and affordable terroir-specific Burgundies to grace the table. Bravo to Antoine Liendhardt! John McIlwain

 

Please note wines will be available for delivery and shipping Monday, 6/22.

No Longer Available

Lienhardt, Antoine 2018 Bourgogne Rouge

An assemblage of fruit from two parcels in the Côte de Nuits-Villages, as well as some purchased fruit from an organic grower in Fixin, this Bourgogne is an indicator of the potential for greatness in Burgundy in 2018. From the moment the cork was pulled, what was striking was the sense that this was a complete wine, without a stitch out of place. The core of  is one of intense dark red fruit that feels quite concentrated but never overwrought, thanks to a semi-carbonic fermentation using 100% whole bunches. The use of the stems lends an extra aromatic dimension of baking spice and fresh fennel and provides an overall feel of freshness and lift. This is excellent Pinot for the price and should satisfy classicists and hedonists alike.  Sam Ehrlich

  • Out of Stock
  • red
  • 0 in stock
  • $29.99

  • Organic
  • Biodynamic
  • Low Sulfur

Lienhardt, Antoine 2018 Côte de Nuits Villages Les Essards

From low-yielding vines located in Comblanchien (probably more famous for its quarries and eponymous limestone than viticulture), planted in the 1960s by Antoine Lienhardt's grandfather. Les Essards is a short distance from another of Antoine's lieux dits, Les Plantes Aux Bois. There is a thin layer of rocky clay topsoil over Comblanchien limestone and the vine rows run from east to west. The nose is floral and expressive with red fruits, wild strawberry, wild roses, hibiscus, blood orange peel, and green tea aromas. The palate is tense and nervy, with tangy red fruit, brambly wild raspberry flavors, and a taut, chalky mineral core. Just this side of tightly wound, this is energetic and displays verticality and brio offering concentration, rather than weight or breadth. I like the brightness here and even in its youth, there’s plenty of nascent complexity, even if it’s implied rather than realized. Give this a quick decant and enjoy with roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or wild mushroom risotto. John McIlwain

  • Out of Stock
  • red
  • 0 in stock
  • $44.99

  • Organic
  • Biodynamic

Lienhardt, Antoine 2018 Côte de Nuits Villages Les Plantes Aux Bois

A mere 200 meters from Les Essards, Les Plantes Aux Bois has clay top soils overlying the hard limestone mother rock. The nose is ample, perfumed, and dark-fruited with aromas of black currant and plum skin giving way to notes of bosky underbrush and spice. Flavors of blackberry, cassis, and elderberry dominate on the ripe, expansive palate. There is good freshness, with fine acidity providing lift and drive on the broad, long, lingering finish. Lovely with a quick decant, but there's plenty of material to justify mid-term cellaring. Light on its feet with good freshness to wake the palate, but enough minerality to whet the appetite of the discerning Burgundy aficionado.  One really senses the richness from the clay soils from this lieu-dit.  John McIlwain

  • Out of Stock
  • red
  • 0 in stock
  • $44.99

  • Organic
  • Biodynamic
  • Low Sulfur