Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Captivating nose of red fruits and bitter chocolate. Mind-blowing concentration and finesse. Easily Grand Cru standard with super-fine tannins and stunning mineral acidity. The finish doesn't want to stop!
Barrel Sample: 96-97 -
Jasper Morris
The Les St Georges comes under the negociant label, Joseph Faiveley, as the produce of their own vines is mixed with two other sources, one of which is the Hospices de Nuits. A deep crimson colour. The bouquet is relatively luxurious, a super succulent ripe raspberry, with very good tension behind. This seems very young, but the abundant fruit and the structure are promising. The fruit on the palate is fresher than for the village Nuits. Barrel Sample: (93-95)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Saint-Georges unwinds in the glass with notes of dark berries, orange zest, exotic spices and peonies, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and richly layered palate, its generous core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins. Seamless and complete, it's almost the stylistic opposite of the ethereal Damodes.
Barrel Sample: 92-94
Founded in 1825, Bourgognes Faiveley has been handed down from father to son for over 175 years. As the sixth generation to take the reins, François Faiveley manages, with equal amounts passion and competence, the largest family domaine in Burgundy. Methodically reconstructing vineyards fractured by French inheritance laws, Bourgognes Faiveley today owns more appellations in their entirety (monopoles) than any other domaine in Burgundy.
"Faiveley’s wines are... supremely clean and elegant: definitive examples of Pinot Noir... above all they have richness and breed, the thumbprint of a master winemaker."
-Clive Coates M.W.
Côte d’Or, A Celebration of the Great Wines of Burgundy
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.