2005 Domaine de l'Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Forets-Saint-Georges 1er Cru

Deep red. More musky, low-toned nose dominated today by medicinal cherry. Quite young and unevolved; drier in the middle palate at present than the Clos de l'Arlot. Distinctly medicinal in character, finishing with big, chewy, granular tannins. Totally different in style from the Clos de l'Arlot.

A slightly riper nose of plum, anise, warm earth and violets combines with big and exceptionally rich sleekly muscled flavors that possess excellent volume on the mid-palate and plenty of sève to balance off the firmly structured but velvety and superbly long finish. This is very masculine in style, indeed even robust and slightly rustic yet it carries itself with balanced grace.

From barrel, the 2005 Nuits-St.-Georges Clos des Forets St.-Georges offers aromas and deep richness of plum and blackberry, with hints of cinnamon, coconut, caramel, and salt. Deep, meaty flavors well up as one works this wine around in the air. It displays impressive amplitude, abundant but relatively fine-grained tannins, and an impressively long cling. This is a wine that frequently surprises with its ageworthiness, so while I imagine enjoying it at 5-7 years age, it will probably hold well for some years thereafter. (The 2004 rendition, incidentally, is quite satisfying, though not, I think, built to age.) Jean-Pierre de Smet – who managed this estate since its 1987 purchase by the French insurance group AXA – has just turned over the reins to his young technical director Olivier Leriche. Practices here have been certified as biodynamic now for two years. The 2005s were all fermented with whole clusters. Numerous agents and U.S. importers including: Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642 5500, Classic Wine Imports, Norwood, MA, tel. (781) 352 1100, Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300