2005 Alain Michelot Nuits-St.-Georges Aux Chaignots

Aux Chaignots is a 13-acre Premier Cru vineyard in the Nuits-Saints-Georges appellation, in Burgundy’s Cote-de-Nuits. Because there are no Grand Cru vineyards in Nuits-Saints-Georges, the appellation’s considerable reputation rests on its excellent Premier Crus. Aux Chaignots is in the northern part of the appellation, where the soil is limestone mixed with gravel. Burgundy writer Clive Coates notes that the wines from these northern Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Crus are “rich, full and elegant.”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.