What is the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation like?

Vines growing on a slope in Nuits Saint Georges

By the late 19th century, most Burgundy communes had adopted the name of their finest parcel as a suffix, such as Musigny for Chambolle-Musigny and Chambertin for Gevrey-Chambertin. The ‘Saint-Georges’ climat was added to the name of the village of Nuits in 1898. We’re casting a spotlight on the southernmost appellation of the Côte de Nuits.

An extensive appellation

With just 5,000 inhabitants, the small village of Nuits-Saint-Georges can be proud of its many premier crus classified under the communal appellation. The area covers slightly more than 305 hectares, spread between the villages of Nuits and Premeaux-Prissey, including 143 hectares classified as premier crus (of which there are 41).

The climats of Nuits Saint-Georges reflect the centuries-old history of the area, from Saint-Georges, which is said to have been planted with vines as far back as 1000 AD, to the robust wines of Vaucrains, as well as Cailles, Champs-Perdrix, Porets, Clos de la Maréchale, Argillières, Forêts-Saint-Georges, Corvées and Arlot. All these iconic names resonate with those who appreciate fine wines.

A mosaic of climats and wines

The reds

Originating from brown limestone and clay soils, Nuits-Saint-Georges reds generally display an intense, dark colour. Powerful, complex and well balanced, their aromas combine cherry, blackcurrant, truffle, and often spices. On the palate, they reveal vinosity, structure and a velvety texture all at once. Particularly robust, they are designed for long ageing.

Jean-Marc Moron, manager of the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges estate, interviewed for this article, broadens our perspective on the subject: “The village appellation is really vast compared to other village appellations in the Côte de Beaune or Côte de Nuits, extending even as far as the village of Premeaux-Prissey. This is one of the defining characteristics of Nuits-Saint-Georges, in addition to being a true mosaic of plots when you look at its climats. We often picture this appellation as one that produces structured, rich wines that require a few years of ageing to be fully appreciated.

But truth be told, in the heart of Nuits, you can find climats that offer entirely different wines. For example, for the Hospices de Nuits, if you head north to a plot like Les Vignerondes, you get an elegant, refined premier cru, with floral notes in all the vintages, a very complex nose and immediate pleasure when young. Whereas further south, with our sole-ownership vineyard Les Didiers, you’ll get a structured, powerful wine that isn’t particularly elegant and requires a few years to come into its own. These are terroir-specific qualities having nothing to do with the winemaker’s signature or the influence of the vintage. I always like to say that in Nuits-Saint-Georges there’s a wine for everyone, because everyone’s tastes are catered for.

Jean-Marc Moron standing near a wine barrel at the Hospice de Nuits
Jean-Marc Moron, Director of the Hospices de Nuits – ©Antoine Martel Photographie

The whites

The few white wines made in Nuits-Saint-Georges are produced from Chardonnay. These extremely rare wines make up barely 5% of the production, and represent, for the seasoned connoisseur, wines of legendary status.

Jean-Marc adds: “Whites – of which we have a plot at the Hospices de Nuits estate – are rare. I believe the whites of Nuits are defined more by their unctuousness and lusciousness than by their tension.”

A town that champions Burgundy wines

This is where the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Tastevin was created, a renowned organisation in Burgundy, with its first “chapter” held in 1934. The growing success of the knights’ gatherings subsequently led them to relocate and hold their meetings at the Château du Clos-Vougeot.

Nuits is also home to a civil hospice, founded at the end of the 17th century. Each year a wine auction is held there, modelled on the Hospices de Beaune auction. It provides an opportunity to auction off the production of the Hospices’ vineyard – the fruit of donations – essentially from the commune’s premier crus. As it happens, iDealwine has been appointed auctioneer for the event scheduled for 9 March 2025.

An appellation in tune with the times

Jean-Marc explains the work currently being accomplished by the appellation’s winemakers: “In recent years, wine lovers have been looking to enjoy younger wines, seeking greater accessibility earlier on. So, the winemakers of Nuits-Saint-Georges have adapted their methods to meet this demand. The Hospices de Nuits estate reached a turning point in 2002 with the construction of its new vathouse. It was designed to adapt our wines with a new harvest reception system to better care for our raw material before fermentation, and a less interventionist approach during vinification. The result: wines that are more indulgent, with silky tannins, already enjoyable by February or March. Even fresher vintages now express themselves better, while they often felt very closed in their youth. And, as it happens, climate change has been working in our favour as grapes are perfectly ripe when it’s time for the harvest.“

What lies ahead for the appellation?

We asked this burning question to Jean-Marc Moron who joined the Hospices de Nuits 30 years ago after working on the Côte for several years.

“The application for the Premier Cru Les Saint-Georges to be classified as a grand cru, supported by the appellation, will be submitted to the INAO’s national committee some time in 2025. Its approval would be a significant step forward, as it would provide recognition on par with neighbouring ‘competitor’ villages. Thanks to their grand crus, these villages give the Côte de Nuits a special place in the hearts of wine lovers the world over. For me, the objective for Nuits is to join the ranks of Vosne, Chambolle and Gevrey. In blind tastings, their grand crus are often indistinguishable from Les Saint-Georges. This is THE priority for Nuits, and not only are the 13 owners of the Les Saint-Georges vineyard committed to this, but so are the other winemakers of Nuits. Everyone is working towards this goal.

Looking ahead, I see a future of increasingly well-liked wines, easier to open young and more elegant. And at more affordable prices than those of neighbouring villages. This affordability can be attributed to the fact that, as I mentioned earlier, the appellation is extensive, which prevents the rarity that often drives up prices. This is also why new wine trading houses, established by family estates on the Côte which cannot afford to acquire new plots, are specifically turning to Nuits-Saint-Georges if it’s not already on their portfolio.

Broadly speaking, I’m very optimistic about the future of the appellation, which has gone from strength to strength in the 35 years I’ve been working here. We are also very lucky to be able to count on leading names such as Gouges and Thibault Liger-Belair.”

Nuits Saint Georges map

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