Embodying refinement and sophistication, the Domaine de la Commaraine, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru, Aux Bousselots 2021 is a stellar specimen of French winemaking. Cultivated in the renowned vineyards of Nuits-Saint-Georges, situated in the heart of Burgundy, this exquisite wine harmonises the aromatic bouquet of the Pinot Noir grape. The Premier Cru Aux Bousselots plot, famed for its brilliant terroir, gives this vino a lean freshness, lined with nuanced undertones of plum, spice, and earthiness.

Domaine de la Commaraine, leveraging centuries of viticultural tradition coupled with cutting-edge oenological understanding, demonstrates mastery in crafting deeply expressive wine; an opulent embodiment of the vineyard's individuality. Careful manual harvesting, stringent selection, and gentle vinification techniques have crystallised this 2021 vintage's complexity and structured elegance. The Aux Bousselots' femme-fatal charm captivates connoisseurs, evoking the Domaine de la Commaraine's unwavering commitment to excellence.

Vinous (90+)

Good full red. Scented aromas of blackberry, cassis, licorice, menthol and herbs (some stems were used here) are rather cool for the year and a bit forbidding. Supple on entry, then quite tight in the middle palate, with dark berry, crushed cherry, spice and menthol flavors leading to a firmly tannic, slightly dusty finish. Showing little obvious sweetness today, this youthfully tough wine is in need of patience.

Vinous (89)

(a blend of Lalou Bize-Leroy's village holdings, owing to the small size of the harvest): Good deep red. Redcurrant, black cherry and a whiff of leather on the nose, plus a touch of violet. Juicy and nicely delineated, showing good inner-mouth energy and harmonious acidity. Finishes with firm but ripe tannins.

Vinous (89)

(a blend of Lalou Bize-Leroy's village holdings, owing to the small size of the harvest): Good deep red. Redcurrant, black cherry and a whiff of leather on the nose, plus a touch of violet. Juicy and nicely delineated, showing good inner-mouth energy and harmonious acidity. Finishes with firm but ripe tannins.

Wine Advocate (92)

When crops are small, Lalou Bize-Leroy assembles the three Nuits-Saint-Georges lieux-dits (Aux Allots, Aux Bas de Combe and Lavières) that she often bottles separately, and that is the case in 2015. The ensuing blend—labelled simply as Nuits-Saint-Georges—is fabulous, revealing a deep bouquet of dark fruit—cherry, cassis, wild berries—pepper and spice. On the palate, the 2015 Nuits-Saint-Georges is full-bodied, ample and complete, with velvety tannins, juicy acids and a long, intense finish. While the aromas and flavors are classic Nuits, the wine's structural elements are remarkably elegant and harmonious, even at this early stage.

Vinous (92)

Translucent red cherry fruit and lifted aromatics make a strong first impression in the 2014 Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Allots. Beams of supporting tannin and a burst of saline-infused energy give the 2014 its shape. The 2014 is clearly still recovering from its bottling. Still, the wine's focus is admirable. In many ways, the Aux Allots encapsulates the nervous yet precise, sinewy personality of the year. Next to the other village-level wines the Aux Allots is a bit compact.

Wine Advocate (90-92)

The 2014 Nuits Saint Georges Village, from vines located north of the village and matured in 30% new oak, has a tightly wound, mineral-driven bouquet that will need two to three years to open. The palate is well balanced with hints of blood orange infusing the red cherry fruit, velvety in terms of texture, mimicking a decent Vosne-Romanée. This should turn out to be a stylish Nuits Saint-Georges from Emmanuel Rouget.

Vinous (90-92)

The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Village, matured in 30% new oak in order to preserve freshness, according to Rouget, has quite a generous bouquet of blueberry and black cherry fruit, the oak nicely integrated. The palate is bright and fresh with violet-tinged blue fruit, almost Vosne-like in style, leading to a silky-smooth, very classy finish. Excellent.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Village is matured in 30% new oak, although Emmanuel Rouget took this sample from a new barrel. It has a refined, pure nose, not powerful yet finely tuned, with subtle floral aromas. The well-balanced palate has a core of red fruit laced with blood orange and citrus peel notes that carry through to the lively, effervescent finish. I am deeply impressed by this Village Cru. Chapeau!

Vinous (89-91)

The 2020 Nuits Saint-Georges Village comes from Rouget’s four parcels in the north of the appellation. This has a pastille-like purity on the nose, dark cherries comingling with violet and light peony scents. The palate is well defined, quite structure, a little savory in style with black pepper on the structured finish. Afford this four or five years in bottle.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2020 Nuits Saint-Georges Village comes from Rouget’s four parcels in the north of the appellation. This has a pastille-like purity on the nose, dark cherries comingling with violet and light peony scents. The palate is well defined, quite structure, a little savory in style with black pepper on the structured finish. Afford this four or five years in bottle.

Vinous (88-90)

The 2021 Nuits Saint-Georges Village comes across a bit muted on the nose at the moment, more tertiary in style compared to Rouget's other cuvées. The palate is medium-bodied and well-knit, quite fine tannins, not complex yet with a touch of sapidity on the finish.

Indulge in the luxurious experience of the Esprit Leflaive Nuits-Saint-Georges 2019, an exquisite example of fine French winemaking tradition. This bespoke wine hails from the historic vineyards of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the heart of Burgundy, a region renowned for its terroir-driven wines. Carefully curated by the venerable Maison Olivier Leflaive, the Esprit Leflaive Nuits-Saint-Georges 2019 is a testament to their skill for producing wines of exceptional depth and quality.

The grapes underwent scrupulous hand-picking and meticulous sorting to ensure the harvest's paramount quality. Traditional open vat fermentation and a careful maturation period on fine lees allow the wine to develop deep, complex flavours. Aromas of black fruit, spices, and a hint of earthiness are wonderfully intertwined, and the exquisite balance of acidity ensures a lingering elegant finish. The Esprit Leflaive Nuits-Saint-Georges 2019 is indeed a sublime expression of Burgundy's viticulture heritage.

Vinous (89)

Medium red. Aromas of cherry, blueberry, raspberry and menthol. Tangy and savory, offering good cut but modest flesh to the flavors of black cherry, pungent red berries, licorice and menthol. Finishes a touch green, with fine-grained tannins and a note of tart red cherry.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (86-89)

Bright, full red-ruby color. Aromas of currant, smoke, earth, nuts, mace, nutmeg, iron and tobacco. Sweet but fresh, with nicely integrated acidity. The dusty tannins mounted with aeration. Faiveley lease on this huge 9.9-hectare parcel will run out next year, and the vines will revert to owner Freddie Mugnier in 2003.

Vinous (90+)

Bright medium red. Cool, vinous nose offers aromas of black cherry, cassis, blackberry, menthol and licorice. Densely packed, dry and youthfully imploded. A distinctly chewy wine whose youthfully bound-up, slightly tough character belies the vineyard's proximity to Vosne-Romanée. Less sweet than the Chaignots; more backward and savory, with its firm, dusty tannins in need of patience.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

Aromas of cassis, plums, orange rind and spicy new oak preface Faiveley's 2019 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes, a medium to full-bodied, deep and lively wine with a concentrated core of fruit, framed by powdery tannins. Concluding with a long, mineral finish, it's another fine bottling from this cool, high-altitude and northeast-exposed site.

Decanter (95)

The 0.81ha vineyard for these grapes is at the top of the hill, resulting in very cool conditions for the vines. This terroir produces a spicy, vivacious wine with notes of cassis and mulberry, accented with smoke and new leather. The 2020 vintage was aged half in new casks and half in two-year-old barrels to give a wine with plenty of finesse and high-toned elegance, yet one that in no way lacks solid ‘Nuits’ character.

Vinous (91-93)

Bright ruby-red. Captivating violet and lavender lift to the aromas of black cherry, menthol and bitter chocolate. Juicy, energetic and sharply delineated, showing terrific thrust to its dark fruit, licorice and spice flavors. I would have picked this blind as a 2013. This will require at least several years of bottle aging.

Wine Advocate (92+)

Tasted from bottle, the 2016 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Porêts-Saint-Georges is one of Faiveley's most brooding and reserved wines this year, unfurling in the glass with notes of earthy black cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, grilled game bird and rich spices. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a tight-knit core, an abundance of fine but firm structuring tannins and a long, sapid finish. If opened today, this Nuits is better on day two or three, and while it's excellent, it will demand more patience than pretty much any other cuvée in the range.

Vinous (90)

The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Porêts-Saint-Georges 1er Cru has a fine black currant and bilberry bouquet. The palate is medium-bodied with quite robust tannins, not the most elegant NSG that you will find, although there is decent freshness and salinity. Give this 3–5 years to soften its edges.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er Cru has a complex, complete bouquet with dark berry fruit, touches of 5-spice and a hint of balsamic. Controlled opulence. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, nicely pitched acidity, harmonious with a slightly peppery, quite nuanced and persistent finish. One of the picks from Faiveley this year. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.