Henri Gouges Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru 'Clos des Porrets St Georges' 2021
The Wine
Domaine Henri Gouges has changed its style from classical, dark Nuits-Saint-Georges to more fruity, forward wines. Furthermore, it has done so without losing complexity, while simultaneously adding drinkability and vivacity.
The 2021s have been made with an unusually light hand at Gouges, and the elevage was quite short, i.e. from August-December 2022 for even the bigger guns. Normal elevage would be three to six months longer, so this adaptation is both exciting and promising in a lighter vintage like 2021.
94 points John Gilman “The 2021 is one of the finest young vintages of Clos des Porrets I have ever tasted! The wine offers up a simply beautiful bouquet of black cherries, sweet dark berries, coffee bean, woodsmoke, gamebird, a complex base of dark soil tones, currant leaf and a nice touch of new wood. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, seamless and shows off stunning depth at the core, with fine-grained tannins, excellent focus and grip and a long, complex finish of exceptional mineral drive and precision. There is a beautiful sense of sappiness to the fruit at the core this year than is fairly rare in the vintage. 2035-2100.”
94 points Tim Atkin “Intensely ripe, this tastes of baked cobbler berries sprinkled with balsamic and some well[1]judged, creamy oak. (Only 15% new oak was used.) The tannins are fine and the acidity is lifting; the structure is nicely in place already. This large, 3.37-hectare clos sits at 250-260 meters and has a considerable 8-12% slope.”
92-94 points Jasper Morris MW “Bottled yesterday! A vibrant fresh mid purple. Lots of energy too on the nose. Perhaps seems a little richer after yesterday’s bottling, which may have slightly muddied the waters - but this is clearly a good wine with plenty of dark red fruit and a good thread of acidity. The tannins are gentle. Drink from 2027-2033.”
92-94 points Vinous “The 2021 Nuits Saint-Georges Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges 1er Cru has a very pure and focused bouquet with red cherries, crushed strawberry, subtle floral elements and a touch of sea spray. This is complex in the context of the growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiselled tannins, a hint of dark chocolate combining neatly with the mulberry fruit on the finish. Nice tingle on the tongue after the wine has departed. Sublime.”
93 points Wine Spectator “Aromas and flavors of rose, peony, strawberry and cherry herald this elegant, silky red. Despite its graceful profile, this is solidly structured, offering fine harmony and a refreshing, vibrant aftertaste. Best from 2026 through 2042.”
91-93 points ’Outstanding’ Burghound “Note: a 3.57 ha monopole with 30+ year old vines. Background hints of wood are present on the brooding and much more sauvage-inflected aromas of plum and dark currant. The supple and delicious medium weight flavors possess better volume as well as mid-palate density, all wrapped in a youthfully austere and moderately rustic finish that is shaped by firm tannins. This decidedly powerful effort is excellent and much more Nuits in style.”
The Details
Variety - Pinot Noir
Country - France
Region - Burgundy
Sub Region - Nuits-St-Georges
Extra - Cork
Year - 2021
Volume - 750ml
Domaine Henri Gouges is situated in the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges, in the Burgundy region. Established in 1919 by Henri Gouges, the estate remains in the hands of the Gouges family. Henri was one of the earliest producers to eschew the then-corrupt Burgundian trading system. Beginning in the 1920s, he committed to bottling his wine on-site, which was an uncommon practice at that time. During the 1930s, as Burgundian appellations were being established, he led a successful campaign to prevent the vineyards of Nuits-Saint-Georges from being classified as Grands Crus, while serving as the village's mayor and a member of the INAO. Presently, Domaine Henri Gouges spans 14.5 hectares with plots across seven Premier Cru classified sites. The estate primarily produces wines from Pinot Noir, with a small production of white wines.
