Nuits-Saint-Georges wine

Nuits-Saint-Georges wine is produced under the Nuits-Saint-Georges Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. The appellation covers vineyards in the communes of Nuits-Saint-Georges and Premeaux-Prissey, around the town that gives the appellation its name. The town is the largest settlement in the Côte de Nuits and historically served as an important trading centre for wines from the surrounding area. The wider Côte de Nuits subregion also takes its name from Nuits-Saint-Georges. The appellation produces both red and white wine, although its identity is overwhelmingly associated with red Burgundy. Red wines account for approximately 97 percent of production, while white wines represent about 3 percent. Pinot Noir is the principal grape for red wines, generally producing wines with the structure, aromatic complexity and ageing potential associated with the Côte de Nuits. Chardonnay is the principal grape for white wines, which are much less common than the reds. The regulations also permit limited use of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris as accessory varieties in red wines, although such blending is not generally characteristic of the appellation. White wines may use Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, with Chardonnay generally predominating. Nuits-Saint-Georges is unusual among the best-known village appellations of Burgundy because it has no Grand Cru vineyard. Its hierarchy includes village wines and 41 climats classified as Premier Cru. A bottle may therefore be labelled simply Nuits-Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru, or Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru followed by the name of a particular climat. A Premier Cru designation may also refer to a blend of wines from more than one qualifying Premier Cru vineyard within the appellation. The appellation's production rules establish different minimum maturity requirements and maximum base yields for red and white wines. Village-level red wines must reach at least 10.5 percent potential alcohol, while village-level white wines and Premier Cru red wines require at least 11.0 percent. Premier Cru white wines require at least 11.5 percent potential alcohol. The base yield limits are 40 hectolitres per hectare for red wine and 45 hectolitres per hectare for white wine. In 2008, approximately 306.33 hectares of vineyard were in production at village and Premier Cru levels. Production totalled about 12,031 hectolitres, including approximately 11,703 hectolitres of red wine and 328 hectolitres of white wine. This corresponded to slightly more than 1.6 million bottles, of which roughly 1.55 million were red and a little over 40,000 were white. The available reference material does not identify a single corporate owner, producer, founder or headquarters organization because Nuits-Saint-Georges is an appellation rather than a single winery or corporate wine brand. The word “Nuits” in the name does not refer to nighttime. It derives from a Latin term associated with walnuts, nutium. Nuits-Saint-Georges should also be distinguished from the broader Côte de Nuits-Villages and Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits appellations. Those appellations cover different geographical areas and generally represent broader or simpler geographic designations rather than the specific village appellation of Nuits-Saint-Georges.

Nuits-Saint-Georges wine is rooted in the village and vineyard landscape of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. The appellation is centred on Nuits-Saint-Georges and extends into the neighbouring commune of Premeaux-Prissey. The town became an important centre for the movement and trade of wines from the Côte de Nuits, and its prominence is reflected in the naming of the wider subregion. The name itself is sometimes shortened to “Nuits,” but that abbreviation does not indicate a separate wine category. Its first element is associated with the Latin word nutium, referring to walnuts rather than to the French word for night. The modern appellation framework distinguishes Nuits-Saint-Georges village wines from wines produced in its Premier Cru climats. Forty-one climats are classified as Premier Cru. Producers may bottle wine with a particular Premier Cru climat name, or use the broader Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru designation when blending eligible fruit from more than one Premier Cru site. The appellation has no Grand Cru vineyard, an important distinction from some neighbouring parts of Burgundy and one that places Nuits-Saint-Georges within the village and Premier Cru structure rather than at the top Grand Cru level. Red wine has long dominated the appellation's commercial and stylistic identity. Pinot Noir is the principal red grape, while Chardonnay is the main white grape. The regulations permit small proportions of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris in red wines, with a maximum combined share of 15 percent, although the reference material notes that this allowance is not commonly used. White wines may be made from Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc and are generally expected to be predominantly, and often entirely, Chardonnay. The appellation rules also define production parameters intended to regulate ripeness and yields. Minimum potential alcohol requirements vary according to colour and classification: village red wines require 10.5 percent, village white wines and Premier Cru reds require 11.0 percent, and Premier Cru whites require 11.5 percent. Base yields are set at 40 hectolitres per hectare for red wine and 45 hectolitres per hectare for white wine. Available production statistics illustrate the strong imbalance between the two colours. In 2008, Nuits-Saint-Georges covered about 306.33 hectares at village and Premier Cru levels and produced approximately 12,031 hectolitres. Red wine accounted for about 11,703 hectolitres, compared with 328 hectolitres of white wine. The resulting output was slightly above 1.6 million bottles, including approximately 1.55 million bottles of red wine and just over 40,000 bottles of white wine. In 2007, Premier Cru vineyards represented 145.96 hectares, including 141.93 hectares planted for red wine and 4.03 hectares for white wine. The cited five-year average production for the Premier Cru tier was 5,291 hectolitres of red wine and 215 hectolitres of white wine. Nuits-Saint-Georges is not a single producer-owned label. It is a regulated geographical appellation used by multiple growers, négociants and wineries, so there is no single founder, parent company, executive team or corporate headquarters to document. It must also be separated from Côte de Nuits-Villages and Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. Those names include “Nuits” because they relate geographically to the broader subregion, but they designate wider areas and are not interchangeable with the Nuits-Saint-Georges village appellation.

1. 2008Production statistics documented

   The appellation had approximately 306.33 hectares in production and produced about 12,031 hectolitres, overwhelmingly red wine, equivalent to slightly more than 1.6 million bottles.

   Source
2. 2007Premier Cru vineyard area recorded

   Premier Cru vineyards accounted for 145.96 hectares of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation, including 141.93 hectares for red wine and 4.03 hectares for white wine.

   Source

A prestigious Côte de Nuits village appellation focused principally on Pinot Noir red Burgundy, with a smaller Chardonnay-based white-wine production and a Premier Cru tier but no Grand Cru vineyards.

• Nuits-Saint-Georges red wineVillage appellation red wine

  The dominant product category of the appellation, made principally from Pinot Noir. Red wines may include limited accessory proportions of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris under the appellation rules, although the permitted blending allowance is not generally used. Village-level red wines must meet the applicable maturity and yield requirements and form the core commercial identity of Nuits-Saint-Georges.

• Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru red winePremier Cru red wine

  Red wines from one of the appellation's 41 Premier Cru climats. They may carry the name of an individual climat or be labelled Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru when eligible wines from multiple Premier Cru sites are combined. Pinot Noir is the principal grape, and Premier Cru red wines must meet a higher minimum potential-alcohol threshold than village-level reds.

• Nuits-Saint-Georges white wineVillage appellation white wine

  A much smaller category than the red wines, made principally from Chardonnay, with Pinot Blanc also permitted. White wine represented about 3 percent of the appellation's production in the cited statistics. Village-level white wines are subject to a 45-hectolitre-per-hectare base yield and a minimum potential alcohol requirement of 11.0 percent.

• Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru white winePremier Cru white wine

  Rare white wines from the appellation's Premier Cru sites, generally based on Chardonnay. They represent only a small fraction of total Nuits-Saint-Georges output. Premier Cru white wines have a minimum potential alcohol requirement of 11.5 percent and may be labelled with a qualifying climat name or under the broader Premier Cru designation.

1. Nuits-Saint-Georges wine