Robert Chevillon - Nuits-St.-Georges Les Vaucrains 2020

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Nuits-Saint-Georges wine is produced in the communes of Nuits-Saint-Georges and Premeaux-Prissey in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) Nuits-Saint-Georges may be used for red and white wine with respectively Pinot noir and Chardonnay as the main grape variety. The name of the appellation is sometimes written simply as Nuits, without the Saint-Georges part. The word "Nuits" has nothing to do with "nighttime" but comes from the Latin for walnuts, Nutium. The production of red wine dominates greatly, with around 97 per cent, and only around three per cent white wine. There are no Grand Cru vineyards within Nuits-Saint-Georges.

In 2008 there were 306.33 hectares (757.0 acres) of vineyard surface in production for Nuits-Saint-Georges wine at village and Premier Cru level, and 12,031 hectoliter of wine was produced, of which 11,703 hectoliter red wine and 328 hectoliter white wine. Some 7.03 hectares (17.4 acres) of this area was used for the white wines in 2007. The total amount produced corresponds to just over 1.6 million bottles, of which just over 1.55 million bottles of red wine and a little over 40,000 bottles of white wine.

The AOC regulations allow up to 15 per cent total of Chardonnay, Pinot blanc and Pinot gris as accessory grapes in the red wines, but this not very often practiced. For white wines, both Chardonnay and Pinot blanc are allowed, but most wines are likely to be 100% Chardonnay. The allowed base yield is 40 hectoliter per hectare of red wine and 45 for white wine. The grapes must reach a maturity of at least 10.5 per cent potential alcohol for village-level red wine, 11.0 per cent for village-level white wine and Premier Cru red wine, and 11.5 per cent for Premier Cru white wine.

The Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy has been named after Nuits-Saint-Georges, which is the subregion's largest town, and which used to play an important role in the trading of these wines.

Robert Chevillon Description

Brothers Bertrand and Denis Chevillon are the fifth generation managers of this property in Nuits- Saint-Georges. Their father Robert, for whom the domaine is named, is still active as well. The stunning collection of premier cru and old-vine vineyards held by the two Chevillon brothers would make any Pinot Noir grower jealous. Their innate ability to carefully tend the vines provides ripe, healthy clusters of grapes year after year. Grapes are fully de-stemmed and all wines are age in barrel approximately 16-20 months.

A View from the Cellar: 95 Points

The 2020 les Vaucrains from Domaine Chevillon is another superb wine in the making. It is deep, full and structured, but also quite elegant in profile out of the blocks and will be a stunning wine in due course. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a refined blend of sappy black cherries, cassis, gamebird, dark soil tones, bonfire, balsam bough, nutskin and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full and very soil-driven in personality, with a superb core of fruit, ripe, buried tannins and excellent length and grip on the balanced and very, very promising finish.

Vinous: 93-95 Points

(93-95 points) The 2020 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains ler Cru has the most stylish bouquet: beautifully-defined dark cherry, blueberry and sous-boil scents, the finest mineralite (even more than the Les Saint-Georges this year.) The palate is taut and linear, lots of energy and tension with an almost clinical precision towards the saline finish. Sophisticated and tender. Superb. By Neal Martin on November 2021

Burghound: 93-96 Points

Inside Burgundy: 93-95 Points

(93-95 points) An even deep rich purple colour. More open that Les St Georges, in a rich deep plummy character. Sweetness from the oak, an undoubted raft of concentrated dark fruit, the tannins are well behaved and there is great length. Probably a very good prospect.

Wine Advocate: 93-95 Points

Aromas of cassis, woodsmoke, wild berries, loamy soil, orange rind and spices introduce the 2020 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains, a full-bodied, layered and velvety wine that's deep, concentrated and elegantly muscular, with lively acids and rich, powdery structuring tannins. As usual, it's built for the long haul.