The 2021 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Didiers (Hospices de Nuits) exhibits aromas of plums, petals, smoked meats and orange zest, followed by a medium-bodied palate that concludes with a somewhat firm finish.

A regular purchase chez Lignier, the 2019 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Didiers (Hospices de Nuits) was, as usual, racked into twice-used barrels when it arrived at the winery. Exhibiting aromas of sweet berry fruit, cassis, raw cocoa and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and rather charming, with an elegant, seamless profile that contrasts with last year's showing.

Lignier once again purchased and raised several barrels of the 2018 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Didiers (Hospice de Nuits), and it's one of the riper wines in the cellar this year, revealing aromas of cherries, plum preserve and toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and plummy, it appeared to be super ripe and a little corpulent when I tasted it, though perhaps I caught it on a bad day.

The latest iteration of a cuvée that Lignier regularly purchases, the 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Didiers (Hospice de Nuits) displays notes of cherries, cassis, grilled game, dark chocolate and toasty new oak. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with fine tannins and good length on the finish. Lignier racks the wine out of the Hospices' barrels and into used cooperage of his own as soon as it's delivered to his winery.

The 2016 Nuits St Georges les Didiers Cuvée Hospice de Nuits had been racked from its new barrel the previous June and put into a used barrel by Laurent Lignier to reduce the impact of the wood. It has a generous bouquet with ample black cherry, blueberry and violet scents, the remainder of its élevage hopefully putting a rein on the oak influence. The palate is medium-bodied and here I must say that the oak exerts too much of an influence, slightly figgy toward the extravagant (for the vintage) finish. Enjoyable but it is certainly cut from a different cloth compared to Laurent Lignier's other cuvées.