2017 Gevrey-Chambertin, La Croix des Champs, Thibault Liger-Belair Successeurs, Burgundy

For more than two decades, Thibault Liger-Belair has been following organic and biodynamic practices. He believes that winemaking starts not with the fruit, but with the soil. “We all talk about terroir, but my focus is on the soil and putting what it needs first,” Thibaut explains. His wines are pure, focused and desirable.

Thibault used 55 percent whole-bunch here to add some lift and freshness to a wine which would otherwise be a little rustic thanks to its deep soil. There is some bright red-berry fruit, a rich middle and some whole-bunch sweetness, before the elegant and long finish kicks in thanks to the stems. Drink 2020-2025.

Thibault continues to keep himself busy, having bought more vineyards in Moulinà-Vent. In the Côte d’Or he waited until 13th September to pick, feeling that the skins were not ripe until that point. He describes the vintage as transparent, where each vineyard’s identity is clearly visible, and one where those with large yields will not be able to hide. In the Beaujolais, hail was again a significant factor, reducing the average yield for those wines he made to an eye-watering 8hl/ha. The damage was so bad that it cost more to pick the grapes than he will make on the wines, but he felt a duty to harvest and vinify the fruit. With careful use of the vibrating sorting table, he was able to carefully select only the clean fruit and has made exceptional wines.