Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Cras 2023 Nicole Lamarche | Burgundy

Nicole Lamarche 's Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Cras comes from one of the most emblematic climats in this Côte de Nuits appellation. North of Nuits-Saint-Georges, in the immediate vicinity of Vosne-Romanée, 1er Cru Aux Cras benefits from favorable exposure and typical Burgundy geology. Its soils of hard limestone mixed with scree and clay give Pinot Noir a particularly pronounced mineral base, and sculpt wines renowned for their finesse and structure. At Domaine Lamarche, hand harvesting precedes partial de-stemming, followed by natural winemaking using the yeasts present on the berries. Careful ageing takes place over 16 to 20 months in oak barrels, with a moderate proportion of new wood, to refine the structure of this Premier Cru without compromising its authenticity.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Les Cras combines a mineral verticality and a depth of body rarely found together with such consistency. In the talented hands of Domaine Nicole Lamarche, this climat finds a particularly apt interpretation, conveying all the finesse of Pinot Noir. A true wine of long ageing, capable of displaying astonishing power after a dozen years in the cellar!

The nose opens with a pure register of red and black fruits, marked by black cherry, raspberry and blackberry. Nuances of sweet spices and a touch of violet add relief, while fine traces of wet stone mark the profile of their complex minerality.

On the palate, the wine is lacy and full-bodied, with ripe, mellow tannins. The mineral framework typical of Premier Cru Les Cras balances power with freshness, and lends fruit and spice flavors a savory, stony impetus. The finish still has a serious character, which will open up to remarkable length in a few years' time.