The working title of this piece is ‘the kids are alright’. It starts with one of the historic domains of Burgundy. Georges Noëllat was the nephew of Charles Noëllat, who was once the proprietor of one of Vosne’s greatest domains. We recall when Domaine Leroy purchased a chunk of the top holdings of the estate and we sold some of the library Charles Noellat wines as they were liquidating the cellar around 1990.
Around that time, Domaine Georges Noëllat went forward selling its production to Jadot and Drouhin for the next 20 years. In 2010, 20-year-old Maxime Cheurlin took over the management of the estate from his grandmother. Cheurlin grew up in Champagne, but it seems Burgundy wine is truly in his blood. He is related to Burgundy ‘royalty’ as he is a nephew of the Jayer family and Emmanuel Rouget’s sons are his cousins. Thus, he complemented his winemaking studies at the Lycée du Viticole in Beaune with stages at Emmanuel Rouget and Gros Frère et Soeur in 2009.
The ‘kid’ has shown true talent from ‘day one’ and has a clear, well defined winemaking regimen. Genetics? Maybe. The focus is on purity of fruit and reflection of terroir. A lot of vignerons say that, but Maxine takes it to another level. They will never be the biggest, blowsiest wines on the table. But they have an uncanny clarity of flavor and definition. Grapes are hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed (except in a few rare cases where up to 30% of stems may be included), and cool macerated for a few days before fermentation begins (native yeasts only). Maxime prefers the term “infusion” to extraction, so punch downs are rare and gentle.
Deeming that the intensity of his terroirs can stand up to new oak, he uses 30-100% depending on the appellation and vintage. Aging lasts 14 to 20 months, and the wines are bottled generally without fining or filtration. Yet the wines are not ‘oaky’ by any means. Allen Meadows (aka Burghound) commented, “As to the style of the wines, they are understated and impressively crafted wines that emphasize purity of fruit and refinement, indeed they could well be described as delicate. One might wish for a bit more body and weight but that is more of a stylistic comment because the wines are beautifully well-balanced and speak clearly of their underlying terroirs.”
Delicate is not a dirty word. It is rather a word that will be very appealing to true lovers of Burgundy, along with other words like clarity, purity, elegance, and harmony. In our tastings, the terroirs were all evident, but exhibited themselves within the context of shimmering, inviting, tender dark cherry fruit. If you want to contemplate the vineyard, it’s there for you. But if you are in a more hedonistic mood, there’s plenty of engaging, perfectly ripened midpalate fruit to consume with gusto and no sharp edges to get in the way. There is a definite ‘family resemblance’ between his wines and his cousin’s (they apparently spend a lot of time together), though Maxime’s are perhaps a touch more lifted.
The Georges Noellat Nuits-St-Georges 2016 comes from a tiny plot of .6 hectare of 50-year-old vines. The delicate but ethereal nose delivers beautifully ripened dark cherry fruit laced with spice. In the mouth the purity of the fruit is clear and the cherry and spice is joined by the traditional iron-like minerality of the village but it is subtly woven into the fabric of the wine rather than dominating.
Good barrel notes from Steve Tanzer and Alan Meadows, both tough scorers (88-90). Tanzer’s notes, “(mostly from Au Bas de Combe): Deep red-ruby. Aromas of blackberry, violet and licorice pastille complicated by a hint of coffee torrefaction. Still a touch of reduction to its youthfully bound-up flavors of black fruits, licorice and spices. Finishes with noteworthy length and a firm tannic backbone for village wine.”
The ‘firm tannic backbone’ seems to resolved itself in the subsequent two and a half years since the notes were written. This refined Burgundy was also tasted alongside big time Grand and Premier Crus, a subject we have spoken on at length about how the ‘lesser’ climats are always at a disadvantage. On its own the Nuits-St.-Georges is a beautiful, true bottle of Burgundy. We’d also encourage you explore some of the upper cuvees. We think this producer has great touch and is clearly one to watch. This is an important name for a variety of reasons and his 2016’s are très, très bien.