Domaine de l'Arlot : Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru "Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges" 2019

Tasting and Serving Notes for Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges 2019 from Domaine de l'Arlot

Tasting

Color

The wine shows a deep, rich red color.

Nose

The nose is concentrated and fresh, revealing black and red fruit aromas such as blackberry and cherry, layered with notes of undergrowth. Depending on the moment of tasting, more complex touches of licorice, leather, and blood orange can also emerge, adding a slightly zesty dimension to the overall bouquet.

Palate

The palate is harmoniously full-bodied, built around fine, well-integrated tannins that give the wine a silky, delicately velvety texture. The fruit remains fleshy and vibrant, while floral, spicy, and tobacco nuances unfold gradually, echoed by a touch of blood orange that signs the finish. The wine closes on a long, generous note.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs beautifully with big red meats, such as a slow-cooked prime rib over embers, pepper-crusted beef fillet, or herb-roasted rack of lamb. It is equally at ease with game dishes, including roasted hare served with braised stuffed cabbage and a rich jus, as well as with refined poultry preparations and mushroom-based dishes. Certain well-aged cheeses can also complement the wine's complexity.

Serving and cellaring

Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges 2019 is best served at a temperature of around 16 to 18°C, ideally opened about thirty minutes before serving to let the aromas unfold fully. This wine shows a cellaring potential of approximately 10 to 15 years, allowing it to gain further grace and smoothness over time.

The Estate

Domaine de l'Arlot was founded in 1987, when AXA Millésimes acquired the historic property located in Prémeaux-Prissey, in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. Today, the estate spans roughly 14 hectares, mostly planted with pinot noir, and includes two monopole Premier Cru vineyards. Christian Seely oversees the estate on behalf of AXA Millésimes, while winemaker Géraldine Godot has led the technical direction since 2014. The domaine is known for its organic and biodynamic-inspired approach, combined with a gentle, minimal-intervention winemaking philosophy.

The Vineyard

The Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges is a 7.2-hectare monopole located in Nuits-Saint-Georges, planted entirely with pinot noir. The clos spans the full geological range of the Nuits-Saint-Georges slope, from limestone at the base to white oolitic limestone at the top, with patches of ochre loam in between. The vineyard is farmed organically and in a biodynamic spirit, with manual harvesting and careful attention to the health and balance of the vines, some of which are quite old.

The Vintage

The 2019 vintage in Burgundy was marked by a warm growing season, with high summer temperatures that favored strong ripeness in the grapes. These conditions led to concentrated fruit, while careful vineyard management helped preserve freshness and balance throughout the ripening cycle.

Winemaking and aging

For Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges 2019, the grapes were fully destemmed before undergoing a cold pre-fermentation maceration of about one week at 14°C. Fermentation then proceeded spontaneously in stainless steel tanks over roughly twenty days, with daily pump-overs to ensure gentle, even extraction. The wine was subsequently aged for about 15 months in French oak barrels, with new oak representing around 40 to 50% of the barrels used, allowing the wood to integrate gradually without overpowering the fruit.

Grape Variety

100% pinot noir.