2007 Nuits St Georges Clos des Porrets Blanc

Lightly-cooked red fruits, game, resinous herbs, and roast chestnut in the nose of the Gouges 2007 Nuits-St.-Georges Clos des Porrets St.-Georges reconvene on a firmly tannic palate in rather sweet-sour form, the red berries and deep chestnut-like richness pitted against pungent and bitter herbal notes. Saline savor and low-toned sweetness keep the tannins from rendering the lingering finish austere. This displays a surprising amount of structure for its vintage, but whether that is really a good thing or justifies holding bottles past the next 3-5 years I’m skeptical. Gregory Gouges admits that he and his family, in 2008, picked a tough year for completing their conversion to organic viticulture, but he notes that the winds of late September rather radically desiccated most botrytized or otherwise imperfect berries and that this played directly into the forte of vibratory sorting tables on which such berries were simply shaken-away. Yields here were only in the 30-35 hectoliter per hectare range. Harvest began already September 30 and fruit came in between 12-12.5% potential alcohol. Chaptalization was minimal, and then only on a few lots in an effort to prolong fermentation. Malos were late and long, but nevertheless finished by summer’s end; and bottling was early by estate norms, with one exception completed between December and February. New facilities enable the Gouges to achieve better temperature-control during fermentations and to avoid pumping. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

Good full red. More perfumed on the nose than the village offering, conveying a cooler impression of cherry and redcurrant. Juicy, pure and youthfully tight, with noteworthy definition to the flavors of cherry, red berries and mint. This, too, is firmly tannic, even a bit youthfully austere, but the finish is persistent and aromatic.

Good medium red. More complex, vibrant aromas of red fruits, minerals and menthol. The palate conveys more phenolic maturity than the preceding samples, offering a perfumed quality to the cherry fruit. This broad wine boasts good tannic support but should nonetheless be approachable with two or three years of bottle aging.