2016 Jean Tardy - Nuits St Georges les Argilles 1er Cru
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Tasting notes
The 2016 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Argillas 1er Cru is showing a touch of reduction, hints of bacon fat percolating through the red fruit, a touch too savoury at this early stage. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black and red fruit that coat the mouth. I find this opaque and missing some race and tension, almost blocky towards the finish. Hopefully bottle age will impart more breeding. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Very juicy and lively. This wine really works! Such intensity and vibrancy… Long and fine with great depth of flavour. But not cheap. (JR)
(13.1% alcohol; aging in 50% new oak but I tasted it from a one-year-old barrel): Dark red with ruby tones, but less saturated than most of the preceding wines. Discreet if slightly musky nose offers aromas of berries, spices, licorice and flowers; pure but quite reserved. Not a powerhouse but nicely balanced, suave and complex, showing well-integrated acidity and a fine dusting of tannins. The lively rising finish offers noteworthy energy. Not at all a chunky style of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Tardy told me that the northwest half of the vineyard was hit by frost flowing in through the combe , and that he ultimately lost about 30% of his production.
The 2016 Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Aux Argillats will be matured in 50% new oak. The western part of the vineyard was frosted, but the eastern part was left untouched. This has a vibrant, minerally bouquet that leans more toward red fruit than black, with just a faint touch of star anise in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannin, good depth and grip, quite structured toward the finish, but it maintains good tension. It will require 4 or 5 years in bottle but will be worth the wait.