Cellar Favorite: 1992 Domaine Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru

BY NEAL MARTIN | FEBRUARY 24, 2025

During the round of Burgundy barrel tasting in London, merchant Robert Rolls organizes a casual La Paulée at St. John, one of London’s finest restaurants. It always surprises fellow diners when two dozen people suddenly stand up and chant the “La La La” song with all the strange hand movements and cheering. This year, my good friend Lord Bruce, familiar to those that read my annual Grouse Club lunches, raided his cellar and produced a gem of a Burgundy from a vintage more renowned for the whites. The 1992 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru from Domaine Hubert Lignier was made by Hubert and his late son Romain, who joined Hubert that year. Showing light degradation in color on the rim, the 1992 has a precise bouquet with cranberry, raspberry and wilted rose petals on the nose, not powerful yet very precise. It gains intensity in the glass, never fading over the course of an hour. The palate mirrors the aromatics insofar that it is framed by lace-like tannins, exceedingly fresh and quite saline. But there is gorgeous tart red fruit at its core, with none of the greenness that you can find in other red wines from this vintage. Those with bottles of this in their cellar should not hesitate to open one, and why not sing the “La La La” song while savoring it? 94/Drink 2025-2040.