2022, Domaine Henri Gouges, NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES, 1er Cru, 'Les Pruliers'

The 2022 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru was cropped at 22hL/ha due to the hail and matured in 25% new oak. It is quite concentrated on the nose with dense red fruit, although it lacks the amplitude of Gouges's other cuvées, I suspect hail denuded complexity. The palate is well-balanced with a rounded texture, no hard edges here. It is smooth and quite sensual, with liquorice tinge and mainly black fruit towards the finish. Afford it 4-5 years in bottle, but don't set expectations to "max," and you'll enjoy this wine. 91-93 Neal Martin, Vinous (2023).

Still in barrel. An intense deep purple. A little wood alongside the relatively heady fruit. Quite ripe, super succulent, plenty of plums, yet with some mineral tannins at the back which require longer elevage. The tannins are on the firmer side. **** 92-94 Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy (2023).

This is also ripe with an overtly sauvage character suffusing the mostly dark berry and earth nose. There is even better volume, density and power to the large-scaled and muscular flavours that conclude in a rustic, youthfully austere and ever-so-mildly warm finale. This is a classic Pruliers. 90-93 Allen Meadows, Burghound (2024).

Drinking Window: 2027 - 2042