Geography

Nuits-Saint-Georges is the southernmost important village of the Côte de Nuits, sandwiched between Vosne-Romanée to the north and Premeaux-Prissey (which shares the Nuits appellation) to the south. The town of Nuits-Saint-Georges itself is the commercial heart of the northern Côte d’Or — many of Burgundy’s major négociants are based here. The vineyards run east-facing on limestone bedrock with varying clay content; the appellation’s significant size means considerable variation in style across producer and site.

Classification

No Grand Crus — historically a source of frustration for the village. The Premier Cru vineyards Aux Boudots, Les Saint-Georges, Aux Cras, Les Vaucrains, Aux Vignerondes, and Aux Murgers are widely considered to deserve Grand Cru classification and there are ongoing efforts to elevate them. The village has 41 Premier Crus in total, the largest number in the Côte de Nuits.

Style of the wines

Nuits-Saint-Georges Pinot Noir is structured, savory, sometimes brooding in youth. The classic profile: dark red and black cherry, plum, leather, dried herbs, sometimes a graphite-and-iron mineral spine. Tannin is firm; acid is bright; alcohol typically 13-13.5%. The wines are less perfumed than neighboring Vosne but more structured, and historically have been among the longest-cellaring wines of the Côte d’Or.

How they age

Top Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru ages twenty-five to forty years. The wines tend to drink awkwardly in their first decade and reward patience — a Les Saint-Georges from a serious producer often shows much better at twenty-five years than at fifteen.

Producers we know

Domaine Henri Gouges (the historical village reference — the family has worked Nuits since the 1920s and makes serious Les Saint-Georges, Vaucrains, and Pruliers), Domaine Robert Chevillon, Domaine Confuron-Cotétidot, Domaine Jean Grivot, Domaine Patrice et Maryse Rion. Some Domaine Méo-Camuzet bottlings come from Nuits sites.