Site: the appellation is elongated, with two different sections, north and south, separated by a little stream that crosses the town. The hillside is quite steep, but the vineyards have an excellent east exposure.Histoire & tradition: an emblematic wine, closely linked to the gastronomy of Burgundy. Great chefs, such as Escoffier, and Brillat-Savarin (the famous cook-book writer), have praised these wines very highly.Soil: there are outcroppings of hard chalk in many places. The northern part of Nuits, close to Vosne, produces wines of great finesse. The southern part, with its rockier soil, gives powerful and long lasting wines.
Viticulture
Plantation density: 10,000 vinestocks/ha in order to extract as much as possible from the terroir and limit the production of each vine stock.Pruning: Guyot.Yield: 45 hl/ha - purposely low, in order for the grapes to reveal every nuance of the terroir.Grape Supply: grapes and wines provided by regular supply partners.
Vinification
Maceration:
maceration and vinification take 2 to 3 weeks
indigenous yeasts
maceration and fermentation temperatures under total control.
Joseph Drouhin seeks total control of the process of extraction; extraction gives colour and substance but should never be detrimental to the finesse and typical character of the wine.
Ageing
Type: in barrels (20% in new oak)Length: 14 to 18 monthsOrigin of the wood: French oak forestsWeathering of the wood: Joseph Drouhin insists on total control of the weathering for a period of 3 years, one of the contributing elements to the elegance of the wine Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation, barrel by barrel. The data obtained is then completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.
Tasting note by Véronique Boss-Drouhin
"Deep red colour. The aromas are powerful and elegant, with notes of cherry and blackberry, as well as hints of cedar wood evolving towards gamey touches. On the palate: beautiful balance between structure and softness. The long aftertaste is reminiscent of fruit syrups and mild spices".
Serving
Temperature: 16°C (61-62°F).Cellaring: 5 to 25 years.
