1974 Georges Noellat Grands-Echezeaux

Domaine Georges Noellat, in Vosne-Romanee, is one of the commune’s most well-established and renowned estates. But when Geroges Noellat passed away in the late 1990s, his wife took over and sold most of what she produced to Louis Jadot and Joseph Drouhin. But when the contract with those negociants ran out a few years ago Madame Noellat handed the estate’s management to her then 20-year-old nephew, Maxime Cheurlin. Cheurlin is related to the Jayer family and the Rouget family, both Burgundy dynasties, so winemaking runs in his blood. Cheurlin’s first vintage as head of the estate was the 2010 vintage. The estate has several Premier Cru parcels and also a parcel of Grands Echezeaux planted with 80-year-old vines. Wine Advocate has called Cheurlin “a huge talent, someone destined for stardom.”

Côte de Nuits is the northern part of the Côte d’Or and it includes the most famous vineyards and wine communes in the world. There are more Grand Cru appellations in the Côte de Nuits than anywhere else in Burgundy. Of the fourteen communes, or villages in the Côte de Nuits, six produce Grand Cru wines. They are Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Flagey-Échezeaux and Vosne-Romanee. Some of the vineyards within the Côte de Nuits are tiny, which adds to their prestige. The fabled Grand Cru vineyard La Romanee is barely two square acres. Altogether there are twenty-four Grand Cru vineyards. The region takes its name from the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Côtes de Nuits produces mostly reds from Pinot Noir, and the wines have been in demand for centuries. During the 18th century King Louis XIV’s physician recommended that for his health the king only drink wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges. Like most of Burgundy, the soils of the Côte de Nuit can vary greatly from one vineyard to another, though most are a base soil of limestone mixed with clay, gravel and sand.

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.