2012 Nuits St Georges Les Cailles

Bright, deep red. Pungent crushed-stone minerality accents musky black cherry and red berries on the almost liqueur-like nose. Juicy, supple and energetic on the palate, communicating a sappy, youthfully imploded character and a magically light touch for such a rich wine. The tactile, slowly building finish saturates the mouth with red fruits and crushed stone. Great potential here.

The 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Cailles is one of the most explosive wines in this range. Dark red cherries, smoke, licorice, tobacco, incense and orange peel jump from the glass in an intense, full-bodied wine loaded with personality. The balance of fruit and structure here is simply magnificent. There is little question the Cailles is one of the highlights in this range.

Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles from Chevillon has a very attractive nose with pastille-like blackcurrant and dark plum fruit, fine mineralite and tension, the oak very nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with tannins that lightly grip, a little saline in the mouth and with good substance (despite just a patina of reduction.) There is clearly good extraction here, but there is no astringency. It just lacks a little persistence on the finish, eschewing that peacock's tail that would have completed the wine. Maybe that will develop with continued bottle age? Oct 2015, www.robertparker.com