2012 Nuits St Georges Clos de l'Arlot

Healthy dark red. Ripe blackberry, coffee and bitter chocolate on the nose; conveys a strong torrefaction character. Rich, plush and seamless; hugely concentrated and broad and yet this is surprisingly easy to taste today. "This cru is usually feminine and elegant," notes Devauges, who told me he did only three pigeages in total during the vinification. Still, owing to its huge material (the crop level here was just 11 hectoliters per hectare in 2012), I suspect that this wine will shut down in the bottle.

(from "tired old vines" planted between 1943 and 1952, according to Devauges, who noted that the substantial coulure resulted in a tiny yield of 12 hectoliters per hectare in 2012): Bright dark red. Tangy aromas and flavors of candied raspberry, mocha and dark chocolate. Sweet, creamy and extract-rich; wonderfully dense, sappy and saline wine with outstanding concentration. For such a chewy Nuits-Saint-Georges, this maintains a degree of elegance. Finishes very long, with tannins buried in fruit.

Here too the sulfur is dominant. The attractively vibrant middle weight flavors possess more size, weight and mid-palate density along with fine depth and length. As is usually the case this is not an especially refined wine but I like the frank character and this should drink well young. Tasted: Jun 15, 2014. Drink: 2016+