Domaine de L'Arlot 'La Gerbotte' Blanc, Nuits Saint Georges, Burgundy, France 2020

• Farming: Biodynamic
• Name of Winemaker/Chef du Cave:  Géraldine Godot
• Grape Varieties: Chardonnay
• Soil Type: La Gerbotte comes from the youngest Clos de l'Arlot blanc vines, which were planted from 1992 to 2006. It could naturally claim the appellation Nuits Saint Georges premier Cru, however the domaine has chosen to classify the wine under the appellation Nuits Saint Georges Village. This wine fully expresses all the elegance and fullness of this terroir. Lying further from the other vines of the Clos, on a white limestone slab supporting thin ground, the microclimate is not as "sunny". All the elements come together so that the Chardonnay reveals a refined style, which is lively and mineral.
• Vinification/Oak Usage: The grapes are harvested in the morning while temperatures are still cool, and pressed immediately. The must is then cold settled before natural alcoholic fermentation begins in vats. At mid-fermentation, the wine is transferred to barrels of which 20% are new. 
• Aging: Aged for 12 months in barrels and 3 months in vats before bottling.
• Tasting Notes: The nose initially reveals subtle vegetal aromas which soon give way to mellow notes of white fruit and hazelnut with a hint of aniseed. Notes of pastry are combined with a silky texture that coats the palate, counterbalanced by excellent acidity and well-integrated oak. This is a wine with strong character and great boldness. -Géraldine Godot, Technical Director (July 2022)
• Critical Acclaim: 
  • 91 POINTS, BURGHOUND
  • 90 POINTS, JASPER MORRIS 

History of the Domaine:

Located just south of Nuits Saint Georges, in the village of Prémeaux-Prissey, is Domaine de l’Arlot, a winery formally established in 1987, but with a history that extends over 100 years back to the late 19th century. The domaine is operated out of a 200 year old building found within the Clos de l’Arlot, a 4 hectare walled vineyard created by Jean-Charles Vienot at the end of the 18th century. His son later expanded the estate, and eventually the domaine came to hold two Premier Cru monopoles: Clos des Forets Saint Georges and Clos de l’Arlot, both located within Nuits Saint Georges. Today, these wines are a benchmark expression for the village of Nuits Saint George, showcasing the hearty complexities of Pinot Noir when grown in the limestone-laden Nuiton soils. Exceptionally, although in the heart of Pinot Noir country in Nuits, Domaine de l’Arlot has also come to be a force for Chardonnay production in the village, producing complex, forward and plush Chardonnays that are unlike any other in the Cote de Nuits. The winery’s biodynamic practices and hands-off approach to vinfication allow their fruit to shine, and each vineyard is vinified with respect to the power and finesse of its fruit.