2004 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Nuits-St.-Georges Les Murgers

Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noellat is in Vougeot, Burgundy. The 30-acre estate was owned and operated by Alain Hudelot-Noellat for many decades. Today it is run by Alain's grandson Charles, who trained in oenology at Djjon University. Included are grand cru parcels in Clos de Vougeot, Romanee-St.-Vivant and Richebourg. Other plots are mostly premier cru. Robert M. Parker Jr. has noted that the estate produces “extremely seductive, creamy wines that have a vivid, well-focused, rich fruitiness, and good body.”

Aux Mergers is a 12.2-acre vineyard in the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation, in Burgundy’s Cote-de-Nuits. It is near the northern boundary of Nuits-Saints-Georges, at an average elevation of 270 meters. The soil is limestone, quite a bit of gravel and some sand. Wine writers note that the wines from these northern Nuits-Saint-Georges vineyards have a hint of Vosne about them, since they are so close to the Vosne-Romanee appellation. Because there are no Grand Cru vineyards in Nuits-Saints-Georges, the appellation’s considerable reputation rests on its excellent Premier Crus.

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.