2015 Nuits-St Georges Blanc, Clos de l'Arlot, 1er Cru, Domaine de l'Arlot, Burgundy

Domaine de L'Arlot

Domaine de L'Arlot was created in 1987 by giant insurance company AXA. They appointed Jean Pierre de Smet as winemaker and the Domaine has not looked back since. Smet, an accountant by training, is one of Burgundy`s more romantic characters, having previously been an international skier and a renowned long-distance yachtsman. Together they set up a management company to run the business as a 50:50 partnership, until AXA took 100% control on Jean-Pierre’s retirement in 2006. The original property consisted of three monopoles, Clos du Chapeau in Comblanchien, Clos de l’Arlot where the domaine is based and Clos des Forêts St Georges. In 1991 they were able to buy a small slice of Romanée St Vivant and the following year some Vosne Romanée Les Suchots, bringing the domaine up to 14 hectares in all. Olivier Leriche joined the business as a stagière in 1998, was hired full time and took over from Jean-Pierre de Smet in 2006. The vineyard has been farmed biodynamically in part since 2000 and entirely from 2003.

In 1987 the vineyards were in poor condition and a great deal of replanting was necessary. Slowly, the quality of wines improved and from 1991 the Domaine has made superb wines every year.

There is a clear influence from Domaine Dujac, Jean-Pierre being a long time friend and protégé of Jacques Seysses, both in the wines and indeed how the cuvérie is laid out. There is a sorting table in the vineyard and another vibrating table back at base camp. Stalks are retained as much as possible (though less for Clos de l’Arlot than Clos des Forêts). The domaine purchases and air dries its own wood for 2 to 3 years, using Rémond as the cooper to make the barrels. Around 40% new wood is used for Clos de l’Arlot, slightly more for Clos des Forêts and Romanée St Vivant.

The younger vines from Clos de l’Arlot and Clos des Forêts are vinified and bottled apart and are sold as Le Petit Arlot and 1er cru Les Petits Plets respectively, while there is also a second white wine from part of Clos de l’Arlot sold as Nuits St Georges Blanc La Gerbotte. These are beautifully balanced wines, lightly coloured but intensely flavoured.

Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director and author of the award-winning Inside Burgundy comprehensive handbook.

Nuits-Saint Georges

Originally known as Nuits, or even Nuits-sous-Beaune, the town was happy to add the name of its finest vineyard, Les St Georges, in the 19th century.  There are no Grands Crus, but many fine Premier Cru vineyards, the mayor of the time – Henri Gouges – preferring not to single out any vineyard for the highest status.

• 175 hectares of village Nuits-St Georges
• 143 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards (20 in all). Best vineyards include Les St Georges, and Clos des Argillières and Clos de la Maréchale in Prémeaux
• Recommended producers:  Gouges, Rion, Liger Belair, Potel
• Recommended restaurant : La Cabotte (small but stylish)

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.