Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru "Les Boudots" 1978 - Domaine Charles Noëllat

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots 1978 — Domaine Charles Noëllat

This Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots 1978 from Domaine Charles Noëllat belongs to the great memory of the Côte de Nuits. From a prestigious climat located in the northern part of Nuits-Saint-Georges, very close to Vosne-Romanée, it expresses an old, noble and profoundly Burgundian Pinot Noir: kirsch-like cherry, Morello cherry, plum, dried strawberry, faded rose, sweet spices, forest floor, fine leather, truffle, damp earth, black tea and a long mineral finish.

Domaine Charles Noëllat is one of the historic names of Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges, with some prestigious parcels later becoming part of major Burgundian domaines. Les Boudots is one of the most sought-after Premier Crus of Nuits, renowned for its stylistic proximity to Vosne-Romanée: more perfumed, spicier and silkier than the most austere expressions of Nuits. The 1978 vintage, a great Burgundy classic, brings depth, structure and noble tertiary evolution.

Terroir: Les Boudots, the Vosne side of Nuits-Saint-Georges

The Les Boudots climat lies in the northern part of Nuits-Saint-Georges, on the border with Vosne-Romanée. This position explains its distinctive character: the wine retains the structure and depth of Nuits, while showing a perfumed, spicy and silky dimension reminiscent of the great neighbouring terroirs of Vosne. Les Boudots is therefore often considered one of the most elegant and complete Premier Crus of the appellation.

The clay-limestone soils give Pinot Noir fine structure, strong ageing capacity and persistent minerality. In an old vintage such as 1978, the terroir now expresses itself through tertiary aromas: forest floor, fallen leaves, truffle, leather, black tea, damp earth and melted spices. When storage has been excellent, the wine can still preserve a core of cherry, Morello cherry and dried red fruits.

Tasting notes

Appearance: evolved garnet with brick, mahogany and orange reflections, with the marked transparency typical of old Pinot Noir. Depending on storage, the colour may remain luminous and delicate, with depth suggested rather than massive.

Nose: delicate, evolved and profoundly tertiary, with kirsch-like cherry, Morello cherry, dried strawberry, plum, faded rose, sweet spices, forest floor, fallen leaves, fine leather and damp earth. With aeration, nuances of truffle, black tea, liquorice, blond tobacco, noble mushroom, bark, sweet pepper and limestone minerality may appear.

Palate: fine, patinated, fresh and delicate, with substance now more melted than imposing. Evolved fruit mingles with notes of forest floor, spice, leather, truffle, earth and black tea, supported by still lively acidity and softened tannins. The finish is long, elegant, lightly saline and mineral, with subtle aromatic persistence and a profoundly Burgundian character.

Expression of the 1978 vintage

The 1978 vintage in Burgundy is one of the great classical vintages of the late twentieth century, renowned for structure, depth and longevity. After several decades of ageing, the finest wines have developed remarkable tertiary complexity while retaining freshness and energy. In Les Boudots, this year can give a wine that is noble, racy and deeply aromatic.

Today, this Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots 1978 should be approached with great attention to provenance and storage condition. A fine bottle can offer a rare moment, dominated by forest floor, truffle, faded rose, leather, black tea and melted spices. It is best opened carefully, tasted immediately, then given only very moderate aeration in order to preserve its aromatic fragility.