Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges, Cote de Nuits, France

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The 2015 Nuits St Georges, which I tasted from a used barrel, has a lively red cherry and cranberry-scented bouquet with fine transparency. The palate is medium-bodied with almost a candied opening, hints of orange rind infusing the tart cherry fruit, a keen line of acidity with a dash of salinity towards the finish. This is a beautifully crafted village cru.

The 2014 Nuits St Georges comes from 0.8 hectares of vine. It has a fragrant bouquet, quite floral with subtle black cherry, wild strawberry and cherry scents filtering through. The palate is medium-bodied with a pastille-like entry, nicely weighted in the mouth with fine and quite precise lattice of tannin on the elegant finish.

The 2013 Nuits Saint Georges Village has a light strawberry and cranberry-scented bouquet with subtle sous-bois notes filtering through with aeration. The palate is fresh and crisp with slightly grainy tannins: touches of red plum and strawberry leading to quite a grainy finish. Fine, if just missing the substance a more benevolent vintage might have bestowed.

The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges Village Cru comes from the brothers’ 3.3 hectares of vine. It has a fragrant, floral bouquet with wilted rose petals infusing the brittle red berry fruit. The palate is crisp and citric with fine tannins and a bright, bushy-tailed finish that enlivens the senses. This is a “wake-me-up” village cru that will put a spring into your step. “You were supposed to be here at two o’clock,” admonished Bertrand Chevillon upon my entering his courtyard at 2.20pm. I resorted to the wine critic’s equivalent of the schoolboy’s default excuse” “The dog ate my homework”; replying that “The Satnav had sent me in the wrong direction”. Which is true incidentally. For despite tasting, writing about and admiring this domaine’s wines since the late 1990s, this was the first time that I have visited. Chevillon might well be the appellation’s benchmark producer, especially since the ‘lesser-spotted’ Denis and Bertrand Chevillon took over the entire running of the estate from their father in 2000. They tap into the essence of their enviable holdings year on year, wines not just driven by power or complexity, but by their sheer force of personality. As Bertrand’s large frame flitted around the barrel cellar, gathering momentum as we scaled the heights of his premier crus, he enthused about the vintage’s innate ability to express the uniqueness of their terroir. If you require evidence that Nuits-Saint-Georges is long overdue its own grand cru (“Les Saint Georges” the shoo-in when I enquired) then take a look at these splendid 2012s that are destined to give so much joy over the next two decades. As usual, bunches were de-stemmed, underwent a pre-ferment maceration and matured with a prudent use of new oak, around 25-30%. Importer: Kermit Lynch, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

The 2010 Nuits St. Georges shows terrific energy and focus, but with generous fruit that is the hallmark of the vintage here. The Nuits is a blend of vineyards in the north and south sectors of the village, vinified together. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. I have to say, this is a stunning set of wines from Denis and Bertrand Chevillon. The Chevillons told me they were surprised by the quality of the wines given the challenges of the growing season. The 2010s saw 5-10 days of cold soak, followed by 15-21 days of cuvaison. The wines were aged on their lees in French oak barrels, 30% new for the top wines and less for the mid- and entry-level wines. The 2010s will be bottled beginning in March 2012 through July 2012. Unfortunately, the 2009s were in an awkward stage on my last visit, so I had to wait a few more months to taste those wines. It was worth the wait. Chevillon’s 2009s are among the wines of the vintage. The 2009s were bottled beginning February (for the entry-level wines) through April for the top selections. I will report on the domaine’s 2009s in the April issue. Importer: Kermit Lynch, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524