NUITS SAINT GEORGES

The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Les St. Georges is utterly captivating. Layers of exotic fruit literally burst from the glass. Mint, graphite, freshly cut flowers and spices develop in the glass, adding considerable depth and nuance. I especially like the way the fruit builds towards the huge, powerful finish. This is a dazzling effort. Even more importantly, it makes a compelling case for the upgrading of Les St. Georges to Grand Cru status. Rating: 93-95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Nov 2013)

(from a crop level of just 12 hectoliters per hectare, according to Liger-Belair): Good bright, deep red. Aromas of raspberry, crushed stone, pepper, licorice and pungent oak; this smells sweet! Superconcentrated and large-scaled, with outstanding density to the black cherry, bitter chocolate and rocky flavors. Very ripe but a bit disjointed and inscrutable today owing to its sheer intensity and tautness. Finishes with toothcoating tannins and a mentholated aspect. I'd forget about this one for at least seven or eight years, at which point my score may well look overly conservative. Rating: 93 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Mar 2013)

The Les St George has a floral, rose petal tinged bouquet augmented the lush red-berried fruit all with fine delineation. The palate has a little pétillance on the entry (common with this producer’s samples at this stage) with a lovely savoury, almost mushroom-like finish. Very “gourmand”. Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jul 2012)

Of all the Premiers Crus in Nuits, this is the one with its eyes on Grand Cru status. In the hands of Thibault Liger-Belair, you can see why. It’s a big, burly wine that’s built for the long term, but has plenty of sweet underlying fruit. 2017-25 Rating: 93 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Feb 2012)

The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Les St. Georges is utterly captivating. Layers of exotic fruit literally burst from the glass. Mint, graphite, freshly cut flowers and spices develop in the glass, adding considerable depth and nuance. I especially like the way the fruit builds towards the huge, powerful finish. This is a dazzling effort. Even more importantly, it makes a compelling case for the upgrading of Les St. Georges to Grand Cru status. Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 93-95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2012)

(Liger-Belair is the largest owner in this outstanding premier cru, at 2.1 hectares, but will offer just 11 barrels in 2010, vs. a normal 30, as the crop level was just over 12 hectoliters per hectare; 20% vendange entier): Deep, bright red. Wild aromas of black cherry, squid ink and earth. The mid-palate offers almost painful intensity to the energetic flavors of black cherry, iodine, spices and bitter chocolate, but there's also terrific volume here. Perhaps most impressive today on the explosively long, vibrant finish, which offers superb focus and subtle persistence. This needs longer elevage. From vines planted in the mid-1940s. Rating: 92 - 95 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Jan 2012)

Rating: 17.5 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Jan 2012)

Soft reduction renders the nose difficult to read but again, the fruit appears quite ripe. The velvety yet strikingly intense flavors brim with sap that renders the mid-palate more approachable though it’s quite clear from the very firm and robust finish that this is going to require plenty of cellar time before it arrives at its apogee. 2022+ Rating: 91 - 94 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Jan 2012)

Very sweet and rich. Energetic. 2016-2024 Rating: 16.5 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Jan 2012)