A magnum of Prieuré Roch's Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Clos des Argillières 2018, from a steep 0.69-hectare clos in Prémeaux-Prissey. The hot 2018 season suits a site the domaine already describes as warm and rich.
About This Wine
Clos des Argillières is a walled parcel within the larger Argillières climat at the southern end of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation, next door to the Clos des Corvées. The slope is steep enough that at the top the vines reach the bedrock. The domaine took it on in 2009, when it had already been farmed organically for some years, and the vines are now around 65 years old. 2018 was a very hot summer with a large crop, and in Nuits the task was to keep the wines from turning rustic; whole-bunch fermentation helps here by adding lift.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Ripe black cherry and plum, with cocoa, sweet spice, rose and warm earth.
- Palate: Broad and generous, with tannins so padded they feel almost creamy, and a savoury core underneath.
- Finish: Warm, with dark fruit, spice and a mineral note from the rock.
Serving & Food
Stand the magnum up a day ahead and decant for about an hour. Serve at 16°C in wide Burgundy glasses. It will drink from around 2027 and hold into the late 2030s. Good with beef cheek bourguignon, roast goose, or braised mushrooms with dried tangerine peel.
How to Enjoy
Sharing at a dinner of six to eight, and cellaring in a format that slows the wine's development.
Product Details
Producer: Domaine Prieuré Roch
Country: France
Region: Côte de Nuits, Burgundy
Appellation: Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Clos des Argillières
Village: Prémeaux-Prissey
Vintage: 2018
Grape: Pinot Noir
Estate Holding: 0.69 ha
Vine Age: Around 65 years
Format: 1.5L magnum
About the Domaine
Walk into the domaine's cellar in Prémeaux and the barrels look untidy: each one sits on a slight tilt. The point is practical. Fine lees gather in one spot below the tap-hole, so when the wine is racked it runs off clear without being disturbed.
Details like this come from Henry-Frédéric Roch, who founded the domaine in 1988 and co-directed the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from 1992 until his death in 2018. His buildings in Prémeaux have since been rebuilt, and the team there, led by Yannick Champ, also runs the Bist'Roc wine bar in Nuits-Saint-Georges.