Domaine Dominique Mugneret Nuits-St.-Georges Aux Boudots Premier Cru 2012
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Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From vines planted by Dominique’s grandfather at some time in the 1930s and raised entirely in new oak, the 2012 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots has a composed bouquet, the wood neatly folded into the red and black fruit profile, but with the character of the terroir yet to show through. The palate is medium-bodied with a sorbet-like freshness on the entry, good depth of fruit with crisp tannins and a very pretty, fruit-driven finish that is harmonious and long. Very fine.
Rating: 89-91
In 1979 Marcel retired and the remainder of his vineyards were passed down to Denis (Passetoutgrain, Bourgogne, Vosne Villages and 1er Cru les Boudots). 1979 was also the first real harvest as a salaried employee for Dominique, after finishing his viticultural degree at the wine school in Grandchamps, just outside of Beaune. For the first few years the domaine bottled a selected number of barrels and appellations, the first serious bottling being the 1985 vintage. Over time the domaine has gradually accumulated more land in the Cotes de Nuits, and today the estate makes 13 appellations over eight hectares. Since the 1999 vintage Dominique has been at the reigns of the estate.
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.