There is slightly better freshness on the palate thanks to the evident minerality on adds a touch of lift to the mildly woody finish where the supporting tannins are firm but not hard.
The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Cailles 1er Cru has a crisp, precise bouquet, with delicate violet petals scents filtering through the black cherry and raspberry fruit. The palate is very well balanced, offering lithe tannin, satin-like in texture and a harmonious, effervescent finish, where blood orange suffuses the blue fruit. Irresistible. –NM
Bouchard own one hectare of the total of three in this 1er Cru parcel, in the south of the appellation. The chalky soil delivers elegance here, with aromas of ripe dark cherries and a fragrant, expressive nose with a lot of violets (30-40 per cent whole clusters). The palate has a very smooth, supple and flavorful feel with some attractive compression of fine tannins. Long, rich dark-cherry finish.
This is lush and pure, offering black cherry, black currant and toasty oak notes.
Excellent length too, but this is mostly about the expressive fruit. - B.S.
A juicy, flavorful red with berry, chocolate, and hazelnut. Some earth, too. Medium-bodied with a tight, layered palate that shows firmness and focus from the polished tannins. Flavorful finish. Holding back. Drink in 2023 and onwards.
The 2019 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles is very promising, mingling aromas of sweet berries and plums with hints of raw cocoa and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's bright and fleshy, with an elegant, charming profile that belies its depth and concentration.
This has a high-toned edge to the currant, wild cherry and underbrush notes. Firm tannins exacerbate the austerity as this finishes with a dusty, chalky feel. Offers pretty fruit, so be patient.
Bright, dark ruby-red. High-toned, slightly liqueur-like aromas of dark fruits and chocolate mint. Very rich, sweet and chocolatey, with rather exotic flavors of black fruits and cherry pit. Nicely concentrated wine but I wondered about its high-toned character. I'd like to see this one in finished form next year.
Bright, dark ruby-red. High-toned, slightly liqueur-like aromas of dark fruits and chocolate mint. Very rich, sweet and chocolatey, with rather exotic flavors of black fruits and cherry pit. Nicely concentrated wine but I wondered about its high-toned character. I'd like to see this one in finished form next year.
Medium red-ruby. High-pitched aromas of blackberry, licorice and crushed rock. Compellingly sweet and fine-grained but with penetrating rocky minerality to its crunchy dark berry flavors. Reminded me of biting into a blueberry tart! The smooth but firm, slowly building finish displays outstanding purity and juiciness. This beauty has the sheer density of material to make its tannins virtually disappear. But I would still want to cellar this premier cru for at least a five or six years.
