Domaine de l'Arlot : Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru "Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges" 2023

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru "Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges" 2023 - Domaine de l'Arlot

Tasting

Color

This Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru displays a deep, intense red hue, typical of a pinot noir built for extended aging.

Nose

The nose opens on wild, dark fruit aromas with a notably spicy edge, offering an intense and slightly untamed character that reflects the rugged personality of this historic Nuits-Saint-Georges terroir.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied and firmly structured, carried by prominent, well-present tannins that define this wine as a true vin de garde. A surprising freshness, inherited from the 2023 growing season, supports the wine's density and gives it a long, structured finish built around robust tannic architecture that calls for patience.

Food and wine pairings

The structure and wild, spicy character of Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges 2023 call for generous, flavorful dishes. It pairs beautifully with roasted or grilled red meats, as well as game such as venison or pheasant. It also shines alongside classic Burgundian preparations like beef bourguignon or coq au vin, where the wine's depth echoes the richness of the sauce.

Serving and cellaring

Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges 2023 is conceived as a wine for the cellar. Its firm tannic backbone calls for several years of aging to soften and reveal the greater silkiness and complexity typical of this terroir once fully mature.

Other characteristics

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A Structured Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Monopole from Domaine de l'Arlot

The Estate

Domaine de l'Arlot's roots trace back to the 18th century in Prémeaux-Prissey, in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits, where the Vienot family first enclosed the original Clos de l'Arlot. The estate took its modern form in 1987 when it was acquired by AXA Millésimes, which today owns and oversees this 14.9-hectare property. Christian Seely serves as managing director, while Géraldine Godot, a Burgundy-trained microbiologist and winemaker, has directed winemaking since 2014. Domaine de l'Arlot is distinguished by its two monopole Premier Cru vineyards in Nuits-Saint-Georges and its long-standing commitment to organic viticulture.

The Vineyard

Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges is a 7.2-hectare monopole Premier Cru of Nuits-Saint-Georges, planted entirely to pinot noir and farmed organically. The single-block hillside spans the full geological range of the appellation: Ladoix limestone at the base, Prémeaux limestone at mid-slope, and white oolitic limestone with ochre loam near the summit. Only grapes from the clos's oldest vines are selected for this cuvée, ensuring exceptional depth and concentration.

The Vintage

The 2023 growing season began with a mild winter followed by a changeable, cooler spring that nonetheless produced a generous flowering. A rainy and unsettled summer persisted until August 15, after which stable, sunny weather allowed grapes to complete ripening evenly. This late shift toward clear skies preserved a surprising level of acidity in the fruit. Harvest took place by hand from September 6 to 12, under clear blue skies.

Winemaking and aging

Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges 2023 was fully destemmed before undergoing a five-day cold pre-fermentation maceration at 14°C. Fermentation occurred spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks over seventeen days, with daily pump-overs to ensure gentle, even extraction. The wine was then aged for sixteen months in French oak barrels, 40% of which were new, followed by an additional month and a half in tank before being bottled between March 24 and 27, 2025.

Grape Varieties

This wine is made from 100% pinot noir.