REGAL WINE COMPANY® Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 2016 (Burgundy, France) – [BH 89-91] [RP 88-90] [VM 88-90] – 6057057878175

About the winery:
Domaine Henri Gouges is, in many minds, the top grower of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Members of the Gouges family have been vineyard proprietors in Nuits for generations and proprietors of the current domaine since 1919. Henri Gouges, along with the Marquis d’Angerville from Volnay, was at the forefront of battles against fraud in Burgundy in the 1920s. In the 1930s, Monsieur Gouges was one of the people charged with the job of delineating the crus in Burgundy for the Institut National d’Appellation d’Origine, and he was a member of that regulatory body at its outset. By 1933, Henri was producing, bottling, and selling his wines directly. In 1967 Henri’s two sons, Michel and Marcel, succeeded him and added to the holdings of the estate. Each of them handed leadership over to one of their sons to bring the domaine to the next stage. Pierre and Christian began the modernization of the vineyards and the winery, which they have now turned over to Pierre’s son, Gregory, and his cousin, Antoine. While the house style has evolved, the main focus is the better reflection of the terroir in the fruit through organic viticulture. They believe that healthy vines produce quality fruit and thus more expressive terroir-driven wines.

Notes from the winemaker:
A little reduced on the nose, which carries over onto the palate. A bit hard to judge but then the Pinot fruit comes through with some strawberry jam flavors. A good mid-palate with a nice lacy texture.

89-91 Points – Allen Meadows’ Burghound:
“A more deeply pitched nose is composed by notes of plum, dark raspberry, earth and a hint of wood. There is excellent volume to the relatively sleek medium-bodied flavors that possess plenty of sappy dry extract, all wrapped in a firm finish that is also less rustic than usual. This too is worth checking out.” – (Jan 2018)

88-90 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“The 2016 Nuits Saint Georges Village includes what could be saved from the vineyards of Chaines Carteaux and Les Chaignots after the frost. It has a very satisfying bouquet with dark berry fruit, touches of undergrowth, a palpable sea influence (oyster shells and a touch of kelp). The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly green entry, but very fresh with a fine bead of acidity, quite cohesive with a slightly compact, again, citric-fresh finish. Enjoy over the next decade.” – Neal Martin (29th Dec 2017)

88-90 Points – Vinous Media:
“(includes the estate’s premier crus Les Chaignots and Les Chènes Carteaux in 2016 as these two lots were too tiny to vinify on their own): Bright dark red. Inviting aromas of red and black cherry, minerals and earth. At once ripe and cool in the mouth, with slightly medicinal blueberry, blackberry and licorice flavors complemented by menthol and mint nuances. A juicy, chewy, nicely ripe village wine, no doubt given more volume by the inclusion of the premier cru fruit. Finishes with firm, slightly dusty tannins and noteworthy persistence.” – Stephen Tanzer (Jan 2018)