Leaving Beaune and heading toward Dijon, Nuits-Saint-Georges marks the gateway of the Côte-de-Nuits and is an appellation that includes some of the finest and best-known French Burgundy. The overwhelming majority of vines are planted in Pinot Noir, from which prized red Burgundy is made, but there are a few vines planted in Chardonnay or Pinot Blanc from which a small group of domaines, notably Domaine J-F. Mugnier, produce excellent Nuits-Saint-Georges Blanc. The Pinots are very robust. The fruit ranges from cherry to plum, but there is an emphasis on earthy/forest notes. Often reaching their prime in 5 to 10 years, these distinctive wines will age to sweeter fruit and chocolate richness. The wines are often capable of aging longer, with some Premier Cru wines able to keep evolving even for up to 20 years, a key factor in this appellation’s appeal.
Nuits-St-Georges itself has a long history, playing a key part in Burgundy’s wine development. It gives its name to the Côte de Nuits, and its patron saint, Saint George, gives his name to their most famous wine. The Saint-Georges vineyard, just south of the town, has been known as a source of excellent wines by locals and royalty alike for hundreds of years. Originally known as simply Nuits, the city took on the name of this prized vineyard in the late 1800’s. Like Beaune, Nuits-St-Georges is a regional center, with many wineries situating their headquarters there. One of these is Domaine Faiveley, which played an important part in the early development of Nuits, establishing in 1825 and maintaining its headquarters within the town. In 1934, Georges Faiveley and Camille Rodier gathered with other prominent winemakers in the area to form The Brotherhood of Knights of the Wine-Tasting Cup (Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin) to promote the great wines of Burgundy, and chose Nuits St Georges as the site of their first event. Shortly after the Brotherhood was established, in September 1936, Nuits St Georges gained AOC title, and has continued to be a source of respected red wines for decades.
Nuits St Georges, together with the Prémeaux-Prissey appellation that is included in its borders, comprises 300 hectares, second in size only to Beaune. At the time of the AOC’s creation, the town mayor, Henri Gouges, preferring not to single out any vineyard for higher status, made none of the area Grand Crus. Despite this, Nuit St George’s 41 Premier Crus make up an area of quality winegrowing, with many of the wines from villages, such as Les St Georges, Les Cailles and Les Vaucrains, often compared to other Grand Crus for quality and age-worthy wines.
The soils of Nuits St Georges fall into three distinct terroirs, divided mainly by the town itself, with the town and the vineyards bisected by the Meuzin River, which flows east from the hills above the town. The southernmost district, within Prémeaux-Prissey, is at a higher elevation, reaching 320m. Here the soil is quite thin and fine, with vineyards such as Clos de Forêts and Clos de la Marechale producing wines which are floral, elegant, and lighter than the two other parts. Further North, though still south of the Meuzin, is the heart of Nuits St. Georges, which shows the most tannic structure. The soil here is richer and deeper, certainly with a higher clay content, but also with sand and gravel, producing wines with an extraordinary richness and dark flavors. The richest and most sought after are those just south of Nuits St Georges such as les Vaucrains, les Cailles and Les St Georges itself, easily the most sought after of Nuits St. Georges’ vineyards. Continuing north of the Meuzin River as you get closer to Vosne, lies the final section. There, the soil is a continuation of Vosne: colluvium comprised of limestone with a small amount of clay over a Bathonian limestone base, and covered with pebbles and scree. Here the wine loses that distinct NSG structure and becomes suppler. Most prominent among these vineyards are Aux Boudots, Les Thorey and Les Damodes at the Vosne Romanée end of the village, these wines are not as tannic as the wines of Central Nuits St Georges and demonstrate some of the extra finesse associated with Vosne.
Today, we present our selection of the wines of Nuits St Georges. Robust and woody, the darkly colored and flavored wines of Nuits-St-Georges can be considered more solid than even some of the more heralded villages, reliably producing solid wine each vintage. For buyers looking for ageworthy red Burgundies, there’s hardly a better place to look.
Stock List- Available Here Now:
A.Verdet Nuits St Georges Damodes 2007 ($74.95) $59 special 2 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 points “Pure black currant, red currant and violet aromas and flavors grace this succulent red, which is supple and shows real concentration on a stylish frame. Don’t be fooled by the fruit and texture. This is firmly structured and long. Best from 2012 through 2022. 25 cases imported”
Chevillon-Chezeaux Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 2010 ($89.95) $69 special 11 bottles available
Chevillon Nuits St-Georges Cailles 2006 ($99.95) $79 special 9 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92+ points “Good deep red. Brooding aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, licorice and smoky minerals are reticent but pure, with a chalky nuance emerging with air and carrying through onto the palate. Impressively rich and dense, offering superb depth of fruit with considerable power. The big, spreading tannins saturate the palate. Not finer than the 2007 but chewier and larger-scaled.”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges Cailles 2007 ($99.95) $79 special 10 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Good medium red. Black fruit and violet aromas lifted by a stony nuance. Sweet, intense and quite structured for 2007, with a superb stony underpinning to the strawberry and raspberry fruit flavors. Finishes pliant and long. This will be ready before the 2008, but there may be even more mid-palate sweetness here”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges Cailles 2008 ($119.95) $89 special 15 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “Deep, bright red. Superripe, complex nose melds berries, violet, damp earth and a whiff of balsamic vinegar. Wonderfully silky and suave on entry, then spicy and pure in the middle, with a very fresh black cherry flavor dominating underlying earth and floral notes. This spreads out impressively on the back end, with broad tannins saturating the palate”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges Roncieres 2007 ($69.95) $55 special 2+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 88-91 points “Bright, full red. Dark raspberry, spices and an element of leathery reduction on the nose. Then densely packed but youthfully imploded and a bit reduced, with a distinctly darker character to the blackberry, blueberry and violet flavors. In a fruit-driven style, but this will require a good four or five years to blossom in bottle. Finishes supple, fruity and long, with excellent intensity”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges Roncieres 2008 ($69.95) $59 special 3+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 89-92 points “Medium-deep red. Sexy aromas of raspberry, flinty minerality and smoked meat. Sweet, bright and showy, with lovely cut and definition to its dense berry flavors. Combines brisk acidity and an impression of thorough ripeness. Very pure on the aftertaste.”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges Roncieres 2009 ($79.95) $63 special 5 bottles bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90-93 points “Bright, dark red. Cooler aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, smoke and minerals. Juicy, tight and firmly built; sweet but not at all cooked. This pure, fruity wine shows very good energy from calcaire Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lovely lingering perfume. An excellent early showing for this wine.”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges Vaucrains 2007 ($109.95) $79 special 3+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Good dark red. Wilder on the nose than the Saint-Georges, offering black cherry, dark chocolate, smoke and a whiff of game. Wonderfully sweet in the mouth but youthfully closed, with a medicinal menthol note supporting the impression of power. Can’t quite match the Saint-Georges today for complexity or personality, but this is also very convincing on the back end. And this too calls for six or seven years of cellaring.”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges Vaucrains 2008 ($119.95) $89 special 3 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “Deep, bright ruby-red. Black raspberry and chocolate aromas are complemented by sweet oak. Less refined than the Saint-Georges or Cailles but solidly built and quite powerful, with a youthfully medicinal character to the blast of dark fruit flavors. Extremely primary and impressively long. This may need the most patience of this excellent set of 2008s”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges VV 2007 ($54.95) $39 special 2 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 87 points “ Medium red. Raspberry, smoked meat and a hint of spun sugar on the very ripe nose. Supple, sweet and easygoing; in a distinctly tender style following the set of 2008s here. Could use a bit more energy, but this offers the advantage of immediate accessibility.”
Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges VV 2009 ($69.95) $49 special 3+ cases available
Burghound 87-89 points “A discreet hint of wood sets off an equally expressive and also very fresh nose of animale infused red and dark berry fruit aromas. The rich, mouth coating and intense middle weight flavors are blessed with ample amounts of dry extract that confers a velvety palate impression on the mildly rustic and persistent finish. Solid quality here.”
Chezeaux Nuits St Georges 2008 ($54.95) $44 special 4 bottles available
Wine Advocate 89+ points “The 2008 Nuits St. Georges shows gorgeous depth and richness to match its soft, engaging personality. The finish is a bit diffuse, which is not unusual in 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020.”
Chezeaux Nuits St Georges 2009 ($59.95) $49 special 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges is another terrific village wine. It shows fabulous vibrancy along with a crystalline purity that is totally beguiling. There is an element of slight firmness here that will require bottle age to soften, but this is a dazzling bottle that only needs time, and the tannins only serve to balance and preserve the integrity of the fruit. This is a gorgeous wine at the village level. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”
Chezeaux Nuits St Georges Aux Boudots 2009 ($69.95) $59 special 9 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2009 Vosne-Romanee Aux Boudots is a rather delicate, understated wine laced with crushed berries, spices and flowers. Silky tannins frame the graceful, feminine finish. The open bouquet and accessible personality make the Boudots a touch more pleasurable today than the Chaumes, but both are gorgeous. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.”
Chezeaux Nuits St Georges Pruliers 2008 ($69.95) $59 special 9 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92+ points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Les Pruliers is a graceful, feminine wine laced with the essence of rose petals, crushed flowers, mint and red fruit. This is an especially elegant, refined Nuits that impresses for its superb harmony and balance. Today the Pruliers remains naturally rather cool and inward, but there is considerable sweetness in the fruit that will emerge over time. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028.”
Chezeaux Nuits St Georges Pruliers 2009 ($69.95) $59 special 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Les Pruliers bursts from the glass with an explosive, heady array of fruit. The wine reveals gorgeous persistence and fine overall harmony in a relatively accessible style for this house in 2009. A clean, pointed finish balances the fruit nicely. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.”
Chezeaux Nuits St Georges Rue de Chaux 2008 ($69.95) $59 special 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Rue de Chaux is somewhat ethereal at first, but then fills out nicely on the mid-palate. Crushed flowers, mint, spices and berries are among the nuances that take shape in the glass. The finish is delicate and haunting. The Rue de Chaux is an understated wine built on elegance rather than power. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028.”
Digioia-Royer Nuits St Georges Les Charmois 2011 ($59.95) $49 special 6 bottles available
A new wine from the Chambolle-based producer, the wines are 100% destemmed and aged with 20% new oak.
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les Porets St Georges 2006 ($69.95) $59 special 11 bottles available
Burghound 88-91 points “Very discreet if not invisible wood frames ripe animale aromas that include game, underbrush and serious dark pinot fruit aromas that are very Nuits in character and this frank typicity continues onto the structured and slightly rustic broad-shouldered flavors that culminate in real power, weight and punch. This is a big wine with plenty of muscle and it will need at least a decade to be at its best.”
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les Damodes 2010 ($69.95) $59 special 8 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Good dark red. Aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate, mocha, licorice and peppery spices. Juicy, intense and fine-grained, with a strong saline quality adding interest to the dark fruit and chocolate flavors. The long, rising finish features suave, sweet tannins.”
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 2000 ($119.95) $89 special 19 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 87 points “Palish cherry-red. A basket of red fruits on the nose, complicated by flowers, meat and bitter chocolate. Suave, supple and fleshy, with ripe red fruit flavors offering moderate definition. Much more aromatic than the Damodes. Finishes with dusty, fine tannins and good persistence.”
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 2008 ($129.95) $99 special 5+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points “Palish medium red. Medicinal red cherry, minerals, crushed stone, violet, rose petal and white pepper on the noble nose. Wonderfully silky and pure, with ineffable flavors of red fruits, spices, flowers and minerals. This is wonderfully delicate, and not a fleshy wine, yet saturates every square millimeter of the palate with flavor. The long, sweet, rising finish offers terrific cut and floral lift. Should make a worthy successor to the outstanding 2007, which also transcends its village. Hervet says that this will be bottled by hand, without filtration.”
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Vignerondes 2009 ($69.95) $59 special 2 cases available
Burghound 90-93 points “Here the fruit runs towards the blue side of the spectrum with aromas of blue berry, plum and violets that is in keeping with the extremely rich and mouth coating medium weight flavors that possess a seductive mouth feel even though the tannins that surface on the balanced, long and serious finish are rather firm.”
Forey Nuits St Georges 2009 ($79.95) $59 special 4 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Good full red. Fairly fresh aromas of black cherry, licorice, violet and menthol. A big, sweet fruit bomb in the mouth, with a distinct fleshiness to the slightly medicinal black cherry flavors. This has very good stuffing to support its tannins. Boasts fresher fruit than the Morey or Vosne bottlings. Finishes with dusty tannins and good length.”
Forey Nuits St Georges Perrieres 2009 ($99.95) $79 special 1 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Les Perrieres is one of the more vibrant, fresh wines in this lineup. Wild cherries, violets, spices and licorice emerge from the glass in a taut, focused expression of Nuits. This shows terrific energy on the wiry finish, where high-toned, floral notes add the final layers of nuance on the mineral drenched close. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. ”
Georges Noellat Nuits St Georges Boudots 2009 ($99.95) $75 special 11 bottles available
Gouges Nuits St Georges Clos des Porrets St Georges 2011 ($89.95) $79 special 2+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 points “Good bright, deep red. Blackberry, minerals and crushed stone on the nose. Densely packed and concentrated, with savory dark berry, floral and licorice flavors leading to a youthfully powerful if rather strict finish. Classic sturdy Nuits-Saint-Georges but with lovely energy and finesse to its fruit. The big tannins spread out on the back end, yet the wine maintains a light touch.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges 2010 750ml ($69.95) $49 special 20 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 87-89 points “Bright medium red. Slightly reduced aromas of black fruits, licorice and fresh herbs. At once supple and precise, with juicy cherry fruit dominating. On the lean side but offers very good focus and cut. The black cherry quality carries through to the firmly tannic yet pliant finish.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges 2011 375ml ($39.95) $33 special 12 bottles available
Gouges Nuits St Georges 2011 ($69.95) $55 special 2+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 87-89 points “Good bright, deep red. Strong animal reduction along with black and red fruits on the nose. Silky and supple for a Nuits villages owing to ripe acidity, with a lovely restrained sweetness to its dark fruit flavors. Finishes with suave tannins and good breadth and length. Very nicely balanced.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges Chaignots 2010($89.95) $69 special 2+ cases available
Burghound 88-91 points “Reduction. The round, supple and already readily accessible medium-bodied flavors possess subtle spice notes before the expected punch and focus arrives on the finish where everything immediately tightens up on the mouth coating finish. This is one of those wines that will very likely drink well all of its life.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges Chaignots 2011 ($99.95) $79 special 9 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 89-91 points “Bright medium red. Precise aromas and flavors of blackberry, violet, licorice, minerals and musky chocolate. Juicy and sharply delineated, with noteworthy intensity of flavor. Spreads out nicely and vibrates on the long, firm finish.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges Chenes Carteaux 2010 ($79.95) $66 special 2+ cases available
Burghound 89-92 points “Reduction. This is also quite supple and relatively forward but the middle weight flavors retain good delineation and excellent complexity on the persistent finish. This is presently on the tangy side though I attribute this more to the presence of substantial amounts of gas rather than under ripe phenolics. This should amply reward 10 to 12 years of cellar time.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges Chenes Carteaux 2011 ($79.95) $69 special 2+ cases available
Burghound 89-92 points “A discreet touch of wood surround the ripe and well-layered mix of red berry fruit scents that are liberally laced with earth and underbrush nuances. There is good ripeness to the suave, even seductive middle weight flavors that possess really lovely depth on the persistent, balanced and harmonious finish. This is really quite good and worth considering.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 2011 ($179.95) $149 special 8 bottles available
Burghound 91-94 points “As is usually the case this is the most elegant wine in the range with its lightly oaked nose of spice, violet, plus, earth and humus. There is excellent richness and concentration to the distinctly earthy large-scaled but not huge flavors that possess dense but relatively fine supporting tannins on the wonderfully persistent finish. While the Vaucrains is an excellent wine it appears that there is just a bit more present here. This is well worth your consideration, at least if you’re prepared to cellar it for a minimum of 10 years.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges Les Pruliers 2011 ($99.95) $89 special 21 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 points “(these premier crus are all aging in roughly 20% new oak): Good bright, deep red. Aromas of currant, blackberry, blueberry, licorice and spices. Sweeter than the Clos des Porrets, but with lively acidity giving the mid-palate a sappy quality. Dark berry flavors are complicated by leather, tobacco and minerals. Finishes with nicely ripe, building tannins and a firm spine.”
Gouges Nuits St Georges Les Vaucrains 2011 ($149.95) $119 special 8 bottles available
Burghound 91-93 points “This is also somewhat toasty though not so much that the earthy, ripe and distinctly sauvage aromas of plum and cassis cannot be appreciated. The palate impression is strikingly rich and muscular and the typical bold and brash flavors of a classic Vaucrains are present before terminating in a wonderfully intense, austere and hugely long finish. As is almost always the case with the Gouges Vaucrains, this is very firmly structured and will need all of a decade and very probably then some to fully mature.”
Jean Grivot Nuits St Georges Charmois 2009 ($79.95) $59 special 2 cases available
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Les Charmois shows terrific energy and focus in its dark red fruit. This is an unusually soft, refined Nuits with gorgeous depth and notable textural elegance. There is enough freshness to suggest the Charmois will drink well for a number of years. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”
Jean Grivot Nuits St Georges Roncieres 2009 ($149.95) $119 special 21 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “Smoke, incense and spices are some of the nuances that emerge from the 2009 Nuits St. Georges Roncieres. This is a powerful incisive wine loaded with dark fruit and minerals. All of the elements meld together gracefully, showing tremendous energy and vibrancy, especially on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”
Jadot Nuits St Georges Boudots Gagey 2010 ($99.95) $77 special 2+ cases available
John Gilman 93+ points “The Boudots parcel is owned by the Gagey family and has consistently been one of my favorite premier crus in the Maison Jadot lineup for many years now. The 2010 version is a great classic and will once again be a great sleeper. The bouquet is deep, pure and utterly refined, as it offers up scents of plums, red and black cherries, coffee, raw cocoa, a beautiful base of complex soil tones, woodsmoke and a deft framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on the attack, with a sappy core of fruit, ripe tannins, lovely transparency and outstanding length and grip on the tangy and very elegant finish. A beautiful bottle of Nuits in the making.”
Jadot Nuits St Georges Boudots Gagey 2011 ($99.95) $79 special 18 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 points “Medium red. Deep aromas of redcurrant, plum, licorice and flowers. At once supple and lively on the palate, showing a delicate grain and lovely floral lift to its red fruit flavors. The persistent, lightly saline finish leaves a light impression. This energetic wine is already long on personality.”
Louis Jadot Nuits St Georges 2010 ($54.95) $44 special 3 cases available
John Gilman 88+ points “The current rendition of the 2010 Jadot Nuits AC is long and complex, but a bit four-square at the present time. Keep in mind though that this wine will probably be ‘dressed up’ a bit with the addition of some barrels of premier cru, so in all likelihood, my score will ultimately prove to be quite conservative for this wine in its finished form.Today, the nose offers up notes of red and black cherries, coffee, woodsmoke, fresh herbs and a fine, complex base of soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impressively sappy at the core, with a very good signature of soil, ripe tannins and fine length and grip on the finish. If this wine gains a bit more refinement from its addition of de-classified premier cru, this will be outstanding.”
Louis Jadot Nuits St Georges 2011 ($52.95) $41.90 special 2 cases available
Burghound 87-89 points “An earthy and quite somber nose of dark berries, underbrush and cassis aromas slides into attractively round and supple flavors that possess good volume before culminating in a delicious if mildly rustic finish. The tannins are ripe and well-integrated and this is a classic Nuits villages in character and style.”
JF Mugnier Nuits St Georges Marechale Blanc 2010 ($119.95) $89 special 4 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Clos de la Marechale Blanc shows off fabulous balance and cool, insistent minerality. It boasts tremendous energy in its chiseled notes of lemon, crushed rocks and white flowers. The aromas, flavors and minerality are pure Chardonnay but there is a breadth to the wine that is unique and may be related to the fact that the Clos de la Marechale Blanc is made from Chardonnay grafted onto Pinot Noir rootstock. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018.”
JF Mugnier Nuits St Georges Marechale 2008 ($99.95) $89 special 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2008 Nuits St. Georges Clos de la Marechale offers up black cherries, sweet spices, flowers and licorice, all of which meld together beautifully in a weightless, impeccably elegant style. Floral, minty notes add complexity and nuance on the refined finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020.”
JF Mugnier Nuits St Georges Marechale 2009 ($119.95) $99 special 12 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Clos de la Marechale is a seriously dark, rich and concentrated wine that stands apart from most of the production here. The intense core of fruit powers through to the intense, imposing finish where sweet spices and licorice add the final layers of complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.”
Lucien Le Moine Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 2006 ($149.95) $119 special 4 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Ripe strawberry and cherry along with charred, roasted meat scent the nose of the Le Moine 2006 Nuits St.-Georges Les St.-Georges. This is broad and rich, more pliable on the palate than the corresponding Les Cailles – though still full of fine-grained tannin – and with a mind-bending suggestion of things mineral: chalk, iodine, ineffable, ore-like impingements. But don’t imagine for a minute that this is merely cerebral stuff. On the contrary, the bright, energetic finish here will set your bodily juices flowing. I would give it 2-3 years and then expect another 8-10 of delightful profundity.”
Lucien Le Moine Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 2007 ($119.95) $99 special 4 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Good full red. High-pitched aromas of black fruits, violet, lavender and minerals. The palate offers terrific cut and finesse, with superb lift to the bright mineral and floral flavors. The tannins are firm but fine, giving a solid structural underpinning to this very stylish wine. Shows the almost electric finish of so many of the better 2007’s.”
Perrot Minot Nuits St Georges Richemone 2008 ($199.95) $149 special 1 bottle available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The Perrot-Minot 2008 Nuits-St.-Georges La Richemone Vieilles Vignes delivers scents and flavors of tart but ripe blackberry, Maine blueberry, machine oil, and licorice. Firmly tannic but also glycerin-rich and brightly juicy, and with low-toned suggestions of beef marrow and dark chocolate, this formidable Pinot doesn’t become too austere even when its finish turns toward crushed stone, cherry pit, and pencil lead. In fact, it’s positively vibratory in its reverberative fruit-mineral-herb interplay that will leave your mouth wrung-out. I would plan to chart this wine’s coarse fearlessly for 15 or more years, but don’t look to it for elegance or charm. (This is another site from which Perrot-Minot has on occasion bottled the oldest vines separately as an “Ultra” cuvee, but not this year.) ”
Robert Arnoux Nuits St Georges 1999 ($59.95) $49 special 7 bottles available
Arnoux’s village Nuits-St-Georges comes from several parcels of well located sites, mostly on the Vosne-Romanee side of the appellation. Pascal Lachaux, the late Robert Arnoux’s son in law, aims to highlight the bright cassis and dark-cherry flavors of this wine. Its succulent fruit can be enjoyed young or with a year or two of bottle age.
T. Liger Belair Nuits St Georges Charmotte 2010 ($74.95) $59 special 8 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2010 Nuits St. Georges La Charmotte is an intensely rewarding wine. Rich, powerful tannins provide the backbone for waves of expressive dark fruit. The Charmotte impresses for its depth and sheer muscle. It is perhaps just a touch rustic, but immensely pleasing just the same. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.”
T. Liger Belair Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 2007 ($99.95) $66 special 14 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points “Good full red. Sweet, deep, high-toned aromas of ripe red berries, maraschino cherry and leather; less black in character than it was from barrel last year. The high-toned quality carries through onto the palate, which offers very good depth to the exotic red fruit and spice flavors. Quite large-scaled for Saint-Georges but not heavy. The slightly edgy tannins here would appear to require at least a few years of patience. A perfect example of Liger-Belair’s assertion that the 2007s are simpler and less intellectual wines than the more serious 2008s. I wonder if this could have been bottled earlier.”
Coming Soon pre-arrival- ETA Jan / Feb
Faiveley Nuits St Georges 2010 ($49.95) $42 special 3 cases available
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Aux Chaignots 2011 ($69.95) $59 special 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “(25% vendange entier; from vines in excess of 50 years of age, according to Bernard Hervet): Good deep red. Sexy aromas of black raspberry and dried rose complicated by game and leather nuances. Complex, concentrated and quite dry, with tangy raspberry fruit complemented by saline and smoky notes. Tasty, firmly made wine, finishing with very good length and subtle tannins that coat the front teeth.”
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les Damodes 2011 ($69.95) $59 special 3 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “(50% new oak; no whole clusters): Good bright, deep red. Soil-driven aromas and flavors of red berries, caraway seed, mocha, chocolate and spices, lifted by a floral topnote. Tactile and intense, with strong saline minerality contributing to the impression of energy and precision. Finishes with suave, fine-grained tannins and excellent lift.”
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 2011 ($119.95) $99 special 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “Bright, deep red. Lovely high-pitched perfume of cranberry, raspberry, rose peal and crushed stone, accented by a pungent whiff of blood orange. Silky, sweet and seamless, conveying an impression of density without any weight. Broad, savory and dry on the back half, finishing with wonderfully suave tannins and outstanding building length. Superb.”
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les Porets St Georges 2011 ($69.95) $59 special 3 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 points “Good full medium red. Strawberry, minerals and gunflint on the nose. Extremely suave for the vintage, and fuller than usual for this cuvee, offering sweet but crunchy flavors of cranberry and riper red berries. Hints of pepper and herbs throughout contribute to the impression of intensity. Finishes with a serious tannic spine and palate-saturating persistence. At once solid and classy.”
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les Pruliers 2011 ($69.95) $59 special 2 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 89-91 points “Bright medium red. Pungent flinty minerality and smoke on the nose. Very sweet, lightly saline redcurrant and raspberry flavors show modest complexity and definition. Finishes with slightly tough tannins and a touch of dryness. Needs following. This vineyard is part of Faiveley’s large contract to purchase all of Domaine Zibetti’s fruit: 2011 was the first vintage.”
JF Mugnier Nuits Marechale Blanc 2011 ($119.95) $99 special 6 bottles available
Burghound 88-89 points “There is enough wood to notice on the otherwise very fresh and pure nose of white peach, pear and soft floral aromas. There is good volume to the very round and rich medium weight flavors that possess good mid-palate concentration and an attractive texture, all wrapped in a lightly mineral-infused finish that offers moderate depth and length. This is very forward and should drink well almost immediately.”
JF Mugnier Nuits St Georges Marechale 2011 ($119.95) $99 special 12 bottles available
Burghound 90-92 points “A pure and appealingly fresh nose of relatively elegant red berry fruit is liberally laced with earth and spice hints. There is a lilting mouth feel to the energetic, intense and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess plenty of that beguiling sense of underlying tension that makes wines like this so refreshing. There isn’t the class of the Fuées but this is really very good plus I very much like the balance and harmony of the firm and lingering finish.”
T. Liger Belair Nuits Les St Georges 2011 ($159.95) $125 special 3 cases available
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points “(all of the barrels for this wine were made from oak planted in white, limestone-rich soils): Bright red. Locked up tight on the nose. Very rich, sappy and concentrated but with a medicinal reserve to the black fruit and spice flavors. Quite backward today and dominated by its structure. Most impressive on the very long, firm, mouth-saturing finish, which leaves the taste buds quivering. Incidentally, Liger-Belair replanted half of his Saint-Georges in April of 2011 due to the severe loss of vines he suffered during the sharp frost in December of 2009. He produced just 25 hectoliters per hectare of Saint-Georges in 2011 and 11 in 2012.”
Vougeraie Nuits St Georges Les Damodes 2011 ($109.95) $89 special 12 bottles available
Burghound 90-93 points “Here the wood treatment is more obvious though still relatively modest as it allows the ripe, earth and appealingly spicy red currant, plum, violet and rose petal aromas to shine. I very much like the mouth feel of the distinctly mineral-tinged medium-bodied flavors that possess outstanding complexity while concluding in a tension-filled and impressively persistent finish. The balance of structural elements is perfect and this should age effortlessly for up to a decade.”