2004 Nuits Saint-Georges Village

"Vintage 2004 is pinot noir without excess, the classic pinot of Burgundy," said Christian Gouges about the new vintage. Gouges told me that the estate used its sorting table in the winery in 2004, as it was much harder to do a good job of selection in the vines. Sugar levels were typically 12. 7% or 12. 8%, and some of the premier crus were not chaptalized at all, he added. Gouges included a bit of the press wine in 2004 as it was quite supple. "We need the tannins in the press wine for aging potential," he explained. "Otherwise we would just have easy vins de plaisir, not true Burgundy. Wines that are only about fruit don't interest me. "(Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)