Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Domaine Henri GOUGES (Nuits-Saint-Georges) -- 2015 Reds Tasted from Barrel, a 2015 White Tasted from Bottle, and a 2014 Red Tasted from Bottle



Gregory Gouges said that with the dry summer, the grass in the vineyards took water from the vines in 2015. As a result, he removed a number of grape bunches over the summer. Harvesting began on 1 September and lasted 4-1/2 days. Importantly, he was able to keep the acidity. Overall, yield was just 24 hl/ha., ranging from 18 hl/ha for the Vaucrains (the lowest) to 33 hl/ha for the Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges (the highest). (The estate was hit hard by the freeze in 2016, and overall yield is only 16 hl/ha for the estate in 2016, although Gregory says that the quality is very good; some wines, such as the Chènes Carteaux, will not be produced in 2016 because the quantities were so small.)

The grapes here were entirely destemmed, as is customary. Malolactic fermentations were early because of the warm winter, and all were finished by mid-January. Gregory expected an early bottling, beginning in December 2016. Alcohols range from 12.7º to 13.3º. 

These are very good wines, but as is the case with so many estates, don’t loose sight of the outstanding 2014s. (Continue reading here.)