2019 Philippe Gavignet Nuits-St.-Georges Aux Thorey

Domaine Philippe Gavignet in Nuits-Saint-Georges is today run by the fourth and fifth generations of the Gavignet family, Benoit and his son Philippe. The 30-acre estate includes parcels in thirteen appellations. The domaine produces Premier Cru and villages Pinot Noir, as well as Chardonnay and Aligoté. Wine Advocate has noted that the estate is good “creating unpretentious, well-crafted, natural wines that will give much pleasure in the short and medium-term.”

Aux Thorey is a 12.5-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.