Wine Nuits-Saint-Georges

Nuits-Saint-Georges is the capital of the Côte de Nuits

Wine-growing activity in the commune of Nuits Saint Georges dates back to the early Middle Ages with the authorisation to plant vines rehabilitated by the Emperor Domitian. Some writings highlight the existence of vines in the commune of Nuits since the year 1000 with the Saint Georges climate. The marketing of the region's wines began in the 15th century under the name of "vin de Beaune". Just like the "wines of Beaune", their fame and marketing will strongly develop in the 18th century with the creation of the first négociants-elveurs in Nuits. This town becomes the second centre of marketing of wines of the coast of Nuits.

In 1892, the commune of Nuits added to its name that of Saint Georges, which was at that time the most famous cru of the commune.

At the end of the 19th century, Burgundy did not escape the plagues (mildew, oidium and phylloxera) of the world vineyard which were to plunge the French vineyard into a crisis. To deal with this, each commune acted differently. In 1934, the winegrowers of Nuits Saint Georges including Georges Faiveley and Camille Rodier will get together to give birth to the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Tastevin; its purpose is to enhance and promote the wines of Burgundy abroad.

In 1936, the INAO recognised this AOC. The list ofclimats entitled to the premier cru designation is registered in 1943.

The wines of Nuits Sant Georges went as far as to be exported to the moon with a bottle of the "Terre-Lune" cuvée deposited during the Apollo 15 mission. This AOC is also the godmother of the submarine "Le Rubis".

In 2015, the climates of Burgundy were listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC benefits from a diverse terroir

The Nuits or Nuits Saint Georges appellation is located in two communes of the Côte de Nuits, namely Nuits Saint Georges and Prémeaux Prissey. On these two communes, the appellation has 41 climats recognised as premiers crus. Although mostly planted with Pinot Noir, these AOCs (Nuits or Nuits Saint Georges and Nuits 1er Cru or Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru) also have a few vines of Chardonnay which produce rare white wines. The vineyards are spread along the coastline. The bedrock of the Nuits Saint Georges slopes is Comblanchien limestone, traces of which can be found at the top of the appellation's slopes with cryoclastic gravel.

The first vineyard zone extends from the north of the village to the Meuzin valley. The alluvial cone of the latter is occupied by the village of Nuits and a part of the vineyard dedicated to the regional appellations. This valley brings limons and limestone pebbles due to erosion. As you go down the slope, the soils become increasingly clayey to give rich and deep soils at the bottom of the slope. The plots are exposed to the east.

Between the Meuzin valley and the combe de Vallerots, the vineyard is narrower and its exposure diversified: North-East/East and South-East. The limestone soils are compact, not very thick and well draining. As you descend the slope, the soils become richer and denser with notably a significant clay composition. The last area between the combe des Vallerots and the commune of Comblanchien (south of Nuits Saint Georges) has soils rich in oolites, pink limestone and with a presence of marl. The marl-limestone soils are enriched with clay.

The cool oceanic climate is subject to southern and continental influences that nuance the temperatures. Rainfall is regular and moderate. The Combe des Vallerots brings coolness to the Nuits vineyards.

What are the organoleptic characteristics of a Nuits-Saint-Georges?

The red wines of Nuits or Nuits Saint Georges have a purple coat that sometimes tends towards mauve. The nose delivers fruity aromas such as cherry, strawberry, blackcurrant complemented by light floral notes. The evolution of the wines gives way to tertiary aromas of leather, truffle, macerated fruit and more animal notes. The palate is structured and ample with supple tannins.

The rarer Nuits Saint Georges white wines have a golden colour. There are notes of white flowers, brioche, honeyed and sometimes buttery. The palate is structured and has a nice vivacity balanced with roundness.

What to enjoy with a Nuits-Saint-Georges

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The powerful, structured and ample red wines will go well with prime rib, duck breast, lamb or game. Cheeses from the region such as Époisses or Soumaintrain will enhance it.

As for the white wines, their structure and vivacity will suit fish and grilled shellfish.

Vintages to remember about the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation

The red wines of Nuits Saint Georges are exceptional on the vintages 1928, 1929, 1937, 1947, 1949, 1959, 199, 1971, 1978, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2015.

The white wines of Nuits Saint Georges are exceptional on the millesimes 1928, 1929, 1937, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1959, 1961, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1978 and 1996. More recent vintages include 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

2 domains to discover in Nuits-Saint-Georges

The Henri Gouges estate

The Henri Gouges estate is located in the commune of Nuits Saint Georges. The 14.5ha of the estate, all located in the commune of Nuits Saint Georges, are farmed with respect for the soil and the use of products that respect the principles of organic farming. The wines transmit their origin to tasters after a few years of cellaring.

The Domaine des Perdrix

The Domaine des Perdrix has belonged to the Devillard family since 1996. The wines are made from grapes grown in integrated agriculture with respect for the terroir. They own 12 ha spread over Nuits-Saint-Georges and Vosne-Romanée including 5 premier crus on the Côte de Nuits including the famous 1er cru "Aux Perdrix" which is a near monopoly.