"The new Monthélie “Premier Cru” bottling from the Lignier family is excellent, with the parcel of vines in Sous la Velle here between forty-five and fifty years of age. The wine delivers a sophisticated aromatic constellation of cassis, sweet dark berries, currant leaf, dark soil tones, espresso, gamebird and a nice touch of spicy oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and complex, with excellent mid-palate depth, buried tannins and lovely focus and balance on the long, classy and soil-driven finish. This is really an excellent example of Monthélie!" John Gilman 91p
"Here there is that peculiar type of reduction that the Burgundians refer to as bourgeon de cassis. By contrast there is good verve and a really lovely texture to the nicely voluminous flavors that display noticeable rusticity on the youthfully austere, firm and lingering finish. Like several wines in the range, this will need to add depth but if it does, it could be really quite lovely." Burghound 89-91p
"A blend dominated by climat Sous la Velle, the 2020 Monthélie 1er Cru reveals aromas of blackberries, cassis and loamy soil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and ample palate that's seamless and penetrating. This is a fine success. Laurent Lignier began his harvest on August 27, reporting below-average yields and finished alcohols between 13% and 14%. Once again, the result is a fine vintage for both his domaine holdings and négociant sources—the latter, amounting to some 3.5 hectares of vines, now clearly distinguished in our reviews. As readers will know, winemaking is pretty classical at this address, with a short cold maceration, two to three weeks' maceration with one pigéage and one rémontage per day and maturation in barrels, some one-third of which are new—if possible, without racking—for fully 22 months in the domaine's cold cellars. The 2020s are more primary and tightly wound than Lignier's 2019s, but they're similar in terms of ultimate quality and are well worth seeking out." Wine Advocate 89-91p
