Presentation
The Hospices de Nuits was founded in 1270, at the height of the Middle Ages, even before the one in Beaune, as a hospital to take in and treat the poor. Over the centuries, this philanthropic and charitable organization received donations of vineyards, given by rich, local families in order to ensure its survival. The estate, even smaller than the Hospices de Beaune’s, today covers a surface area of 12.5 hectares of Nuits-Saint-Georges and Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru’s finest vines, including the “Les Didiers” monopole and the prestigious “Saint-Georges”. Since 1961, the wines have been sold “en primeur” in the barrel, at a grand auction held in March at the prestigious Château du Clos de Vougeot, and are then aged and bottled by a Burgundian négociant. In the past, the wines were sold by mutual agreement and the House of Edouard Delaunay, which had had long-standing relations with the Hospices, was entrusted on several occasions with the exclusivity of the vintage. Buying wine at the Hospices de Nuits means participating in a cause for charity (the money raised finances the hospital, retirement home and several associations) that brings together philanthropy, exceptional wines, the art of living and culture in a unique way.
Terroir
These six parcels of twin crus, located beneath Les Porrets-Saint-Georges and La Roncière, are combined here to create a Village cuvée that is quite soft and approachable, despite being situated in the southern part of Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Winemaking
The grapes are handpicked with the greatest of care before being brought to the Hospices’ winery where they are destemmed and gravity-transferred to tanks. Vinification, under the supervision of Jean-Marc Moron, the Hospices de Nuits’ Cellar Master, is performed according to tradition. The wine is then transferred to new oak barrels and aged in the Hospices’ cellars until it is taken over by the House of Delaunay in March. Total ageing time amounts to approximately 15 months.
Specifications
Production volume : 1,184 BOTTLES
Serving
Very bright, vivid red color. The nose reveals a pronounced freshness, with aromas of camphor and chlorophyll that carry through to the palate. Elegant nuances of leather, cherrywood, and fresh oak add depth. The attack on the palate is round and smooth, accompanied by a lovely tannic presence, entirely typical of Hospices wines. On the palate, delightful fruity notes (vine peach) and floral hints (rose) are complemented by complex woody tones of vanilla, incense, beech smoke, cinnamon, and milk caramel. An expressive, elegant wine, full of pleasure.