It has frequently been commented that terroir is in the winery, and this bottle of Nuits-Saint-Georges would seem to corroborate that – it is more than a shade Volnay in character. Volnay is beautiful, though, so I am far from vexed. Rather chuffed, in fact.
Following on from my [link2post id=”4277″]brief rant on 2006 Burgundy[/link2post] I’d certainly add this to the list of recommended wines. It is showing very attractively now and, whilst it will improve with a bit of time in the cellar, you will not have to keep it forever for it to show at its best. So many 2006s are wonderfully comely and tumescent with charm, well worth seeking out the goodies and revelling in their beauteous delight.
[image image_id=”4570″ align=”left” size=”medium”]Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru aux Thorey 2006, Domaine de Montille
Rather pale in colour, although why I am mentioning this I don’t know – the colour of Pinot tells us very little about its character unless it is inky black when there might be the possibility of over-extraction. Oh this nose is splendiferous with pretty red fruit and a pronounced stony character. It lacks nothing in terms of its depth of character, but the facets of this nose which really fiddle with my funny bits are its refined beauty and coolly elegant sophistication. It smells far more Cote de Beaune in style than any Nuits I’ve ever had before; shall we agree it is Nuits de chez Volnay?[ref]The de chez construction is terribly useful. I first used it in a Beaune restaurant where I was served a deliquescently dry poulet de bresse. When I exploded at the chef I told him it was sec de chez sec – dry from the house of dry.[/ref]
Sniffing this is a real pleasure, but drinking is more fun so I’ll get started. Oh yummy, yummy, yummy, this is palate of intricate finesse and thrilling, star-bright intensity. Its combination of perfervid red fruit, lucent acidity and polished tannins, which are all in faultless harmony, give me the feeling that I am necking an entity of vibrant, exciting liveliness that just wants to sit me down and explain with earnest energy that I’ve been doing that whole ‘zeal’-thing insufficiently vehemently up until now. Life, thrills and exquisite splendour are in total consonance here and this is a joy to drink. Try a bottle over the next six or so months or come back in five years.