Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Belles Croix

These wines are very popular with wine lovers, extremely tasty, fruity and dense, made mainly from Grenache, using biodynamic methods. "Domaine Gramenon, created in 1978, is located in Montbrison-sur-Lez in the Drôme Provençale, in the foothills of the Pre-Alps, at an altitude of 350 metres. In the northernmost part of the southern Côtes du Rhône. The originality of the Gramenon terroir comes from the limestone bar (tidal system) formerly covered by the sea (86 million years ago). The thrust of the Alps has caused a large amount of limestone to emerge from the layers of sand left by the tides, thus forming a plateau 550 m wide and with a slight altitude, while the clays have been brought in by the river system. Grenache is the grape variety best acclimatised to our latitudes, expressing itself here in elegance and freshness. Proof of this is the presence of numerous plots of old vines (from 50 to 120 years old). The cumulative influence of the age of the vines (and therefore of the deep roots) and the specific character of the soils, gives the wines a particular and original profile. In order to perpetuate the exceptional quality of the plant heritage, each vine planted comes from the estate's own massal selection. Since the creation in 1978, the vines have been cultivated in a natural and organic way. Nevertheless, the need to move towards biodynamic viticulture was felt. The first climatic accidents of the 2000s having impacted the vitality of the old vines, we started biodynamic practices and the Demeter certification arrived in 2010. The dynamisation of the soil and the strengthening of the plant's defences were immediate and very convincing. There is a new energy in the plots. This increased vitality at the plot level is reflected in the quality of the wines. The choice of harvest date is a crucial and determining point. The intrinsic quality of the grapes can only be expressed when they are truly ripe. The harvest is exclusively manual with careful sorting. The main idea is to respect the grapes as much as possible. To achieve this, no crushing equipment is used (pomace pump, auger). The grapes are transported by vibrating table and conveyor belt to the concrete tanks. We only sulphite very lightly after the malolactic fermentation if necessary. The wine is matured in vats for the Spring vintages and in old barrels for the old vines. Purity being the always unattainable and utopian goal of history, we strive to express the terroir and the grapes as closely as possible, while avoiding betraying them, by adapting to the effects of the vintage

"Devenu une référence incontournable, Thibault Liger-Belair a brillamment repris le domaine familial en 2001. Les vignes sont cultivées en bio et les rendements très maîtrisés.

En matière de vinification, Thibault alterne matière et finesse en fonction des cuvées et effectue un travail très important de sélection des bois en partenariat avec ses deux tonneliers attitrés, se limitant à un maximum de 50 % de fût neuf.

Suivant les cuvées et les millésimes, la proportion de raisins entiers varie sans dogmatisme. Installé depuis peu dans une nouvelle cuverie alimentée par géothermie et énergie solaire, Thibault Liger-Belair est un vigneron sincère qui affirme un style élégant et raffiné, et ses vins, vinifiés avec sensibilité, ne cessent de nous enthousiasmer." 2*/5 RVF Guide 2022