Domaine Joseph Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 1er Cru 2020
The Joseph Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les St Georges 1er Cru 2020 is a wine of immense complexity and depth, representing the very best of Burgundy's winemaking tradition. This wine is crafted with meticulous attention to detail by the skilled winemakers at Domaine Faiveley. Based in Nuits-St-Georges, the famous Domaine Faiveley was founded in 1825 and in more recent times, the domaine has greatly expanded its vineyards across the entire Côte d’Or. The grapes are entirely de-stemmed and fermented in a mix of new wooden vats for the top end wines and stainless steel for the lesser cuvées. Once notorious for being fairly austere, there has been less emphasis on extraction over the last ten years and the wines show increased freshness, purity of fruit and more judicious use of oak. A contender for one of the most improved domaines in Burgundy over the last decade.
"Les Saint-Georges" is considered to be one of the oldest climats in Bourgogne and was planted in the year 1000. It is also thought to be the very best Cru in Nuits-Saint-Georges.
The grapes are harvested and sorted by hand however the proportion of de-stemmed grapes and whole clusters varies depending on the vintage. The wines are punched down daily in order to extract colour, tannins and aromas from the skin of the grapes. After undergoing a 19 day vatting period, the alcoholic fermentation is complete. The free-run wine is run off using a gravity system whilst the marc is pressed slowly and gently in order to extract an exceptionally pure press wine. The wine is then aged for 16 months in French oak barrels (40-50% new oak and 50-60% one-wine barrels) which have been selected for their fine grain and moderate toast. Finally the wine is left to age in cellars at consistent, natural hygrometry and temperature.
This wine of deep ruby red hue is fresh and gives aromas of supple, hedonistic, joyous raspberry fruit and some ripe cherry notes. The sleeker, less concentrated and powerful flavours brim with minerality and dry extract which buffer the tautly muscular, more austere and more structured finale. There are firmer tannins and a smooth, rich texture yet so much fruit to cover the bone structure. Its powerful nose gives not only dark berry fruit but also warm spicy notes. This wine's harmonious structure and elegance perfectly represent this Premier Cru. Drink now or will age gracefully with careful cellaring through to 2035+.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - France
Region - Burgundy
Vintage - 2020
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%