Nuits Proces, Joseph Drouhin 2014

Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Drouhin's 2014 Nuits St George 1er Cru les Procès had a broody nose at first, almost as if there were TCA, although monitoring the wine over ten minutes I felt this was not the case and was rather the influence of the 15% stem addition. Underneath lie quite attractive red berry fruit laced with black tea and earthiness. The palate is well balanced with fine tannin, tightly wound and focused but broody. It cuts away a little quickly on the finish, but it does gain more and more cohesion. It is just compromised by the dry and bitter aspect of this mercurial Nuits Saint-Georges, but I expect it will improve with bottle age. Tasted September 2017. Drink Date 2020 - 2035

The 2014 Nuits St Georges 1er Cru les Procès contains 15% whole cluster fruit and spends 17 months in oak. It has a ripe red cherry and rose petal-scented bouquet with a light oyster shell influence that is evident with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a citrus entry, fine tannin and a very elegant and harmonious finish. This is a very refined, seductive Nuits-Saint-Georges that should give pleasure over the next 15 years.