2002 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er Cru

Good dark red with ruby highlights. Brooding dark plum and underbrush aromas, along with a balsamic menthol quality; shows subtle hints of development but essentially still very youthful. Wonderfully sweet and full in the mouth if a bit medicinal. This refined, dry, spherical wine finishes with serious, building tannins to support very long aging. Gregory Gouges, who only took charge of winemaking here in 2007, noted that the estate in 2002 "did much different extraction and was not yet working by gravity." But this wine is a knockout.

Deep red-ruby. Highly nuanced nose combines redcurrant, iron, leather and flowers, along with a menthol austerity. Then explosively rich, silky and enveloping on the palate, with compelling sweetness of fruit and brilliant definition. Classic ripe but dry Nuits-Saint-Georges, with subtle hints of currant, iron, leather and tobacco. Finishes with a powerful spine of ripe tannins and juicy redcurrant fruit. A great example of this vineyard, with the palate presence and class of a grand cru.

Lively scents of red fruits, blackberries, and stones are found in the complex aromatics of the stellar 2002 Nuits-St.-Georges Les St.-Georges. Its mouth-coating, satiny waves of candied red cherries, blackberries, flowers, and spices conquer the palate. This medium to full-bodied wine has exceptional elegance, loads of deep underlying fruit, and a prolonged, super-ripe finish. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020. Bravo! Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802