1996 Nuits Saint-Georges Village

Christian Gouges, who was facing minor surgery in February to correct a chronic sinus condition, made it immediately clear that he considered 1997 an outstanding vintage. "The wines are exceptional in terms of maturity and individuality," explained Gouges. "They are very ripe for pinot noir and are characterized by empyreumatic (i.e., smoky, roasted) aromas of chocolate, coffee and tobacco, which is a legitimate expression of our pinot noir. They have plenty of tannins, but the tannins are supple and fat, and the wines have an ideal acid/tannin/alcohol balance for aging. The colors, which have deepened since the malos ended, are deep red but not ruby in short, very pinot noir. In sum, it a very natural vintage that should express the terroir and the cepage more than winemaking techniques." The wines were racked last March after the malos, but were still on their fine lees at the time of my visit. The lesser wines will drink well early, but Gouges top two or three cuvees should be long lived. Gouges's more severely structured '96s have turned out extremely well. They were bottled unfiltered but with a "half fining" to round the tannins. Gouges noted that he would rather soften his wines prior to bottling them than switch to a suppler vinification at the outset. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)