Winemaker Notes
High-toned aromas and flavors that focus on elegant red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb), Asian spices (cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg), and intense floral notes (violets, rose petals, acacia). From very old vines (65+ years), this medium bodied Burgundy exudes finesse and freshness. Already compelling (with decanting) and will age for another decade. ;Try this with a rare filet mignon, garlic roast chicken, and medium to strong cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Domaine de Bellene Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes defines the AOC well. TASTING NOTES: This wine is firm and well-built on the palate. Pair its attractive black fruit aromas and flavors with duck confit. (Tasted: April 29, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
A pure, cherry- and strawberry-flavored red, with hints of earth and spice. Fresh and balanced, lingering on the finish, where the spice notes echo. Best from 2021 through 2033.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Inhabiting the bottom end of the northern half of the Côte d’Or, Nuits-St-Georges is a busy, market-driven town and home to many of Burgundy’s negociants. It is also the largest town in the Côte d’Or after Beaune and contributes "nuits" to the name of Côte de Nuits (i.e., the northern half of the Côte d’Or).
The appellation itself is divided into two parts, where in the north it directly borders Vosne-Romanée, the southerly end is the commune of Prémeaux. There are no Grands Crus in this village, though it does have a large number of Premiers Crus.
The best Nuits-St-Georges Pinot Noir are layered with cherry, plum, underbrush and sandalwood. The fruit is sweet, the wine energetic, and the finish long and lush.