Tasted in Nuits St.Georges with Pascale Chicotot, 15 May 2018.

Domaine Chicotot
15 Rue du Général de Gaulle
21700 Nuits-Saint-Georges
Tel: +33 3 80 61 19 33
www.domaine-chicotot.com

A domaine with 9 hectares, but spread over 57 different parcels! Because of the losses experienced in 2016, Pascale preferred to open only a couple of her 2016s, and instead showcase her 2017s – all of which had long-since finished their malos – my notes on those are relatively short as the wines were such, relative, babies.

Pascale on 2016:
“We have only 15% of a normal harvest in 2016. It wasn’t a problem with mildew, all our losses were down to the frost. We stayed biodynamic but of-course that required much attention. Of the 85% that we lost, the worst area was the 1er crus in the direction Premeaux-Prissey, we have only 300 bottles each of Les Vaucrains and Les St.Georges. Fortunately 2017 has come along. We certainly don’t have excessive volumes as we have plenty of old vines – our yields being about 80% of whats allowed by the AOC.​”

Pascale on 2017:
“I see the wines as showing aspects somewhere between those of 2009 and 2014. The vinification was fine, all whole cluster, and we have very pure aromas. Actually there’s a touch of griotte and that profile was quite common in 2002!”
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The wines…

Planning to bottle about March 2019.

Save for a few reductive wines, these showed remarkably well for such an early tasting. The concentration is shown to be good in the 2017s here when compared to the 2016s – less but not by much – the benefit of proper yields. The 2016 Rue de Chaux was so good that some bottles were purchased – steep at €60, but that still won’t offset their 85% losses!

2017 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Opposite Les St.Georges and Les Plantes au Baron
A bright nose. Spiced, fresh, direct and with a good energy.

2017 Nuits St.Georges Les Charmottes
A faint reduction, but this is lovely over the palate, seriously structured but with fine texture. Fine finishing too.​
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2017 Nuits St.Georges Aux Allots
New since 2013 – 5 different plots.
Again reductive aromas. Ooh, more intense over the palate, more marked by the malo too, saline finishing…

2017 Nuits St.Georges Les Plantes aux Baronne
From 1930s vines in the south of Nuits, in fact just under Les St.Georges
Ooh, round, delicious, partly floral fruit – such a beautifully open and attractive nose. Round but with an insistent line of flavour – creamy flavour – this will be excellent.
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2017 Nuits St.Georges 1er Rue de Chaux
Ooh, red fruit, floral a burst of classy aroma – another great nose. Good volume and freshness, purity, intensity. Super wine.

2017 Nuits St.Georges 1er Aux Thorey
A little reduction again – ‘but always this parcel’ – the domaine has been here since 2013. Width, nice energy, modest intensity, layers of flavour. Very mineral finishing. Very perfumed in the end too. Super potential.​

2017 Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Vaucrains
A little gas, a lot of bright energy, spiced but too early to discuss.

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So let’s try a few others…

2016 Nuits St.Georges Aux Allots
6 weeks in bottle, not filtered, very little sulfur.
Deep colour. A nose that is a little diffuse after the beautiful 17s, but slowly adding florals and coming ever more into focus. Lots of volume, more structured, a cassis fruit – not the griotte of the 17s. More serious, still saline, a lovely aroma from the last drops. This confirms the good concentration that is in their 2017s.

2002 Nuits St.Georges 1er Les St.Georges
A little sous bois, some strawberry. Hmm, mineral, fresh, fine energy, lots of mineral complexity, a long line of finishing flavour. A little warming on the hand, swirling, bringing out more floral notes. Adding a little depth to the texture and notes of coffee. The first sniff was quite good but with a little older impression than I expected for an 02, but with aeration always better and better. Super wine.