2012 Nuits St Georges Clos des Grandes Vignes

Tasted at the Comte Liger-Belair vertical at the Château de Vosne. The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Clos des Grandes Vignes has a clean and precise bouquet: subtle tropical notes, citrus lemon, almond and a hint of white chocolate that are all well defined (perhaps more so than the 2013.) The palate is well balanced with fresh pear and citrus peel on the entry, tensile and poised with a long tail on the finish. This is a superb debut that appears to be maturing nicely in bottle. Tasted June 2015.

(from a crop level of just 13 hectoliters per hectare, according to Liger-Belair): Healthy bright red. Red cherry, dark berries and licorice on the lively nose. Juicy and nicely delineated, showing good lift and grip to its savory dark berry, stone and spice flavors. Finishes with a firm tannic spine and subtle length. Needs time. These vines are located on the "wrong" side of the route nationale .

(hail limited production to 13 hectoliters per hectare; vinified with 15% whole clusters; Liger-Belair purchased this parcel on the east side of the Route Nationale from Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet in July of 2012): Good dark red-ruby. Wild dark berries dominate the nose. Sweet, concentrated and savory in the mouth, offering a lovely combination of saline minerality and fresh fruit. Fat and chocolatey, but boasts solid underlying structure and finishes with slightly dusty tannins. Can't match the lift of the Brulees, though. (This parcel also includes some chardonnay; an early taste of the 2012 revealed a glyceral, sweet wine with an attractive blend of honeyed ripeness and floral lift.)