2010 Faiveley Nuits St. Georges Les Argillats

Domaine Faiveley is in Nuits-Saints-Georges in Burgundy. It was founded in 1825 as a negociant and several generations of Faiveleys worked to shape not only their own business but to improve the reputation of Burgundian wines. In the 1930s Georges Faiveley, then the family patriarch, was one of two Burgundians to found the influential Conferie du Tastevein, an organization that was over the decades instrumental in raising the prestige of Burgundy's wines. Today the estate is run by Erwan Faiveley, and besides still running a negociant business the family makes highly regarded Grand Crus, Premier Crus and villages wines. The estate includes 25 acres of Grand Cru parcels, including the monopole Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley. There are also two Premier Cru monopoles, Gevrey-Chambertin Cru Clos des Issarts, and Beaune Clos de l'Ecu. Burgundy writer Clive Coates has written that Domaine Faiveley "is one of the greatest sources of quality wine in the whole of Burgundy."

Les Argillieres is a one-half acre Premier Cru vineyard in the Nuits-Saints-Georges appellation, in Burgundy’s Cote-de-Nuits. It is one of a string of Premier Cru vineyards on the southern edge of the appellation that are in the commune of Premeaux. These vineyards are steep and Les Argillieres is about mid-way up the slope. Burgundy writer Clive Coates has written than the wines of these vineyards are “sturdy, muscular and masculine.”

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.