13.5%abv, Nuits-Saint-Georges (Côte d’Or), imported by Boisset America, St. Helena, CA. Cork closure: natural. Biodynamic calendar: opened on a flower day.
What is Hautes-Côtes de Nuits? It is the high vines in the foggy hills west of more famous terroir and villages such as Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-St-Geroges. Trained high on trellises to take advantage of the sunlight, there is just but 120ha of Chardonnay grown on Jurassic limestone soils in this regional appellation. The vines are planted to high density and around 30 year of age. The winemaking team at the former Les Ursulines convent (Gregory and Laure) in N-S-G vinify this cuvée without sulfur and let the wine rest gently on the lees for a year without being racked or battonaged in a proportion of 30% new 500-liter (double size) French oak barrels.
The 2014 is medium gold with a clean nose of pronounced intensity with aromas of dried apricot, honey, tarragon, and Meyer lemon skin. On the palate this wine is dry with high acidity, medium+ body, medium alcohol and medium+ flavor intensity with a long finish with flavors of dried candied orange peel, marmalade, cheese, wet stones, marmalade and acacia blossom. There is a razor-sharp tension to this wine, it is high in acid and mineral extract in only the way that Bourgogne wines can seem to be from the balance of terroir and fine lees contact during extended aging. Drink now, this wine is very good: 9.1/10