By Burgundy standards, Nuits-St-Georges is an enormous appellation, stretching nearly four miles end to end. The mineral content in the soil varies widely across the town, and Nuits can best be thought of as three distinct districts: north, middle and south. The northern part that borders Vosne is the most elegant, the middle the boldest and most powerful, and the southern the lightest and most mineral.
Today’s cuvée comes from the middle, not far from the famous “Les St-Georges” vineyard from which the town draws its name. Michel Gros’s “les Chaliots” vineyard produces a classic expression of Nuits: deep intensity, muscular texture, deep dark fruit. We love this wine year in and year out, and it often represents one of the best values at Gros. But in 2019, as with most other things in the vintage, it simply shines.
The trick in Nuits-St-Georges (particularly the middle sector) is to balance the readily available tannin with enough fruit and finesse. The naturally rugged structure of grapes from Nuits lends itself to rusticity if not well tamed. As you might expect from someone who recently celebrated his 40th vintage at the helm of his domaine, Michel has steered this cuvée beautifully, and hit the balance just right.
The nose is deep and lovely, with plums, blackberries, toast and spice. The mouth is rich and concentrated, with deep color and even deeper flavor. It’s very 2019 in its intensity, but very Burgundian in its finesse. We expect it to age beautifully over the next 3-5 years, and offer ample enjoyment today with the help of a carafe and a plate of steak frites.
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Michel Gros Nuits-St-Georges “Chaliots” 2019
bottle price: $75
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