Domaine de L'Arlot Clos des Forets Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2021 750ml
From the heart of a historic 7.2-hectare monopole, this biodynamic Pinot Noir captures the essence of its noble terroir. Aromas of wild berries, spice, and earth unfold into a poised, richly textured palate framed by fine tannins and vibrant minerality. Silky yet structured, it reveals both strength and grace—an elegant reflection of Burgundy’s timeless artistry.
James Suckling | JS 95
Published: Jun 26, 2023
Complex nose of red berries, savory and wet earth with just a hint of candied citrus peel. Quite a bold and seriously structured wine with excellent depth for the challenging vintage, but nothing even remotely approaching a hard edge. This will need some time to give its best, but the balance is there at the simultaneously crisp and velvety finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Best from 2025.
Decanter | D 92
Published: Oct 31, 2022
Drink: 2027-2045
This substantial wine has a ripe plummy fruit on the initial attack adorned with notes of smoke, earth, spice and an almost savoury animal complexity. The texture is dense and tannic, with plenty of substance and a lingering, complex finish. The massive cuvée represents half of the surface area of the domaine—7.2 hectares, right next to premier cru Les St-Georges—and it is usually vinified in six different cuvées and blended later in order to account for variation in ripeness. In 2021, however, there were only enough grapes for three.
Arlot.com
The Style of the Wine
With its well-defined character, this wine perfectly illustrates the identity of the Nuits Saint Georges vineyard. Complex aromas of blackcurrant mingled with spicy blackberry are revealed on the nose with, depending on the vintage, darker notes of liquorice, leather and blood orange. The well-built mouth affirms itself with density and strength around a tight structure with rich, well-wrapped tannins. It becomes increasingly seductive over time, which comes from the elegance, intensity and purity of the fruit.
Discover more
- The Clos des Forêts Saint Georges covers the entire geological range of the slopes of Nuits Saint Georges: Ladoix limestone at the bottom, Premeaux limestone in the middle, and white oolite limestone in the upper part, with a marked presence of ochre silt in some places. This Clos is planted entirely to Pinot Noir.
- Traditional vinification: A manual harvest, minimal vatting, pumping over and punching down without excess to reveal the full aromatic range drawn from this great terroir. Ageing lasts on average 15 months in oak barrels, with a maximum of 50% new barrels, and 3 months in vats before bottling.
- A wine for ageing: the generous terroir of the Clos des Forêts Saint Georges forms the soul of the wine. It builds a solid red around well-present tannins which define a wine for ageing. A few years in the cellar will allow the wine to express itself more fully and make it more graceful, silkier and more complete.
The Terroir
In Burgundy the monopoly (single estate vineyard) defines a unit of land, a terroir which has been perfectly defined for centuries and which is owned by a single proprietor. The Clos des Forêts Saint Georges covers a surface of 7.2 hectares, all in one piece. It is a unique terroir in a privileged location which right from its origin has made one of the greatest Nuits Saint Georges wines.
Tasting Note
The colour is deep and the nose reveals aromas of ripe fruit. The complex bouquet carries through to the palate: a delightful blend of spices, flowers and fruit. The tannins are silky, delicate and precise with an elegant and refreshing length on the finish.
Géraldine Godot, Technical Director (April 2023)