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Burgundy Insights from the Winehog

Visit Domaine Georges Noëllat – tasting of the 2015s from Cask

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Immense talent and effortlessness .. I always try to capture the core impressions and qualities of the estates I visit.

I have followed Domaine Georges Noëllat since the 2011 vintage and have always been amazed by the effortless nature of the wines .. they are not forced, they are a natural expression of the unique talent of Maxime Cheurlin.


Maxime Cheurlin and his two lovely dogs in front of the Georges Noëllat estate

The wines are transparent, pure and intense in a effortless way .. airy and almost silky with a refined expression without being polished and lacking terroir expresssion and personality. The have a magnificent inner energy and while silky they seem to have a delicate tension and drive that makes them both unique and very enjoyable.

The 2015s from Domaine Georges Noëllat

Maxime has refined the style litte by little, and seem to embrace all vintages like a very experienced winemaker.

The 2015s here are truly magnificent, and the weighty and slightly warm year is a perfect match for the house style .. but so was the delicate and fruity 2014s.

Maxime told me that he just managed to harvest before the rain came, and this was thanks to a very large harvest team from his fathers Champagne estate … that completed the harvest in record time. So a bit of luck and help from the family is also needed to get the optimal wines in the 2015 vintage.

The 2015s here are both juicy and vibrant with a fine display of terroir – the energy is very fine indeed offering all the freshness one would want in a 2015 Burgundy. As explained in the Vintage Report 2015 freshness and especially energy is the key to success in 2015, as the weight and intensity is abundant in most wines.

I do have my favorites here but it is hard to pick these – as all the wines in the line-up are showing so beautifully – but a bit of advice is available for the premium subscribers.

New Domaine Georges Noëllat wines in the 2015 and 2016 line-ups

Maxime is expanding his range of wines and with this the number of appellations that he works with. This can sometimes be a problematic endeavor, but somehow the style seem to embrace all appellations and produce some lovely and delicate wines. This is understandable when we are talking Chambolle-Musigny Les Feusselottes but perhaps less predictable when we are talking about a Hautes Côte de Nuits from the Vergy area.

Four new wines were added to the portfolio in the 2015 vintage, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Bourgogne Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs and finally Chambolle-Musigny Les Feusselottes. 

Maxime told me that more wines were added for the 2016 vintage .. the Gevrey-Chambertin Les Fonteney (1er cru), Gevrey-Chambertin Les Echezeaux (village) – two 1er crus from Beaune Les Tuvilains and the small monopole Clos de la Mignotte. Last and something truly new – a white – Meursault 1er cru Les Caillerets a relatively unknown terroir located in the Volnay end of Meursault.

It should be noted that all the new wines will be sold under the brand – Maxime Cheurlin Noëllat.

Tasting Notes from tasting on November 8th 2016

All the wines showed very well ideed aside from a slight reduction in a few wines … always a pleasure to taste at Domaine Georges Noëllat.

First wine one of the new ones – the Hautes Côtes de Nuits 2015, a pinot noir grown near Vergy – i.e. in the hills above the northern part of Nuits-Saint-Georges and Vosne-Romanée. This is a relatively cool area – in my view somewhat overlooked – producing some mineral driven wines … perfect in a hot year like 2015. The bouquet offer fine juicy red fruit – cool for the vintage with a nice mineral note for this level. On the palate vibrant with a saline and juicy fruit – in the usual Georges Noëllat style. While this is an entry level wine it fits in nicely in the lineup offering a true estate experience, very enjoyable – Good++ – (87 – 88p). This will be sold under the brand Maxime Cheurlin Noëllat.

The next wine is also one of the rookies Gevrey-Chambertin En Champ 2015 – a village located in the northern part of the village below 1er cru Champeaux. This is a delightful wine that show a fine marriage between Vosne wine making and Gevrey terroir – 30% new oak is used on this wine. The bouquet offer delicate red and dark berry fruit brought forward by a nice earthy minerality. On the palate rich and velvet fruit for a Gevrey village – harmonious with a nice focus and length – love the freshness and the energy. A Very Good+ (89 – 90p) village. This will be sold under the brand Maxime Cheurlin Noëllat.

Back to home pitch … the Domaine Georges Noëllat, Vosne-Romanee 2015 is a delightful village and a true hedonistic treasure. In the nose bright and red fruit – raspberries, variation of cherries and some fresh elements of red currant all interlinked by a fine spicy Vosne minerality – quite floral and expressive. On the palate very fine and delicate fruit – quite weighty compared to the previous vintages with a beautiful cool fruit on the mid-palate – delightful tension and energy. Love the seductive fruit in these wines. Fine+ – (91 – 92p)

Next up a terroir that has produced some fine wines in the 2015 vintage – the Domaine Georges Noëllat, Vosne-Romanee Les Chaumes 2015. This wine is from the plot located just above and next to the garden of Domaine George Noëllat … overlooking La Tâche. The 2015 offer more weight, power and structure than the previous vintages – without loosing it’s delicacy and immediate charm. In the nose rich juicy red fruit – raspberries, hints of pomegranate, plum and red currant – expressively fruity and floral with a wide range of Vosne spices – cinnamon, peony rose. On the palate rich and velvet offering layers of vibrant and energetic red fruit. A truly delightful glass – Very Fine – (93 – 94p)

The last of the new wines .. Chambolle-Musigny Les Feusselottes 2015 .. a delightful terroir that works well with Vosne styled producers – that is – if one can say there is a certain Vosne-Romanée style. This is in my view a very welcomed addition to the program (I adore this terroir). The bouquet is brimming with vibrant red fruit and Chambolle minerality – love the limestony notes and the pomegranate hints of Chambolle. On the palate lively red fruit – cool and very juicy offering so much energy and drink-ability. It’s a intense and effortless Les Feusselottes .. will provide gorgeous drinking. Very Fine – (93 – 94p). This will be sold under the brand Maxime Cheurlin Noëllat.

The Domaine Georges Noëllat, Vosne Romanee Petits Monts 2015 is showing beautifully with it’s filigree minerality and decadently perfumed style. The bouquet is offer a fine and vibrant red and dark berry fruit, a bit darker toned than the Chaumes – with a fresh red currant note and hints of violets and rose petals. On the palate rich, intense and seductive red fruit – expressive and vibrant offering a fine energy. It’s more weighty than the previous vintages of this wine – very balanced and delicate. Very Fine+ (94 – 95p)

Domaine Georges Noëllat, Nuits-Saint-Georges Boudots 2015 – This is sort of the odd one out when you taste the whole Noëllat range, as this is a slightly more introvert wine. In the 2015 vintage it’s somewhat darker then the other wines, offering a slightly more dense side of the year. The nose has some slightly riper notes than the Vosne 1er crus and Aux Cras, as the dark berry fruit include some hints of plum and a slight vinous whiff of licorice. On the palate generous and quite vibrant fruit – a bit more on the dense side than Les Petits Monts – nevertheless fine freshness and tension. Very Fine – (93 – 94p)

Domaine Georges Noëllat, Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Cras 2015 – Ok!!, I’m guilty .. I’m biased .. I adore the Aux Cras terroir. The 2015 Aux Cras is a truly gorgeous and vibrant wine. The bouquet is an explosion of juicy red fruits – tremendous energy focused by a powerful stony minerality. On the palate very vibrant and juicy fruit – intense with very fresh notes of both pomegranate and red currant. It’s long and focused with a very intense and delicate saline finish. Very Fine+ – (94 – 95p)

Moving on to the Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux-Monts 2015 – a step up from the other 1er crus in my view. The bouquet is floral and vibrant with a very energetic and playful fruit – notes of red currant and red forest strawberries – brought forward by a deep and intense minerality. On the palate very juicy indeed with layers of delicious fruit – it’s pretty cool – and offer a seductive mid-palate generosity – an Outstanding – (94 – 95p) wine … so far the best 1er cru from Maxime.

Down slope to Les Cruots we find the terroir of the Georges Noëllat Echezeaux 2015. The nose offers a very floral expression of fruit and minerality – notes of red forest berries, pomegranate, red currant – layered and complex with an intense filigree minerality. On the palate rich and generous fruit – a finely balanced and very energetic mid-palate continuing in a long and intense mineral driven finish. A truly elegant, delightful and effortless Echezeaux – a step up in refinement and length from the otherwise outstanding Les Beaux Monts – Outstanding+ – (95 – 96p)

The Grands Echezeaux 2015 is the pinnacle of the lineup … a tremendous glass. The bouquet offer tremendous depth – expressive red and dark berry fruit supported by a more earthy minerality than the previous wines and garnished by a range of expressive Vosne spices. It has all the qualities of a great Grands Echezeaux – it’s generous, slightly voluptuous with a refined opulence of layered juicy fruit. It’s so seductive with it’s harmonious yet detailed fruit and a delicate range of spices .. violets, cinnamon and peony rose. What can I say!? – a truly magnificent wine, just so effortless and generously hedonistic – Extraordinary (97 – 98p).

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