History of Nuits-Saint-Georges
The first town in the region was Roman. Its name has been forgotten, but it is known to have remained prosperous until the 5th century. A temple of Cybele (mother of the gods for the Greeks and Romans) and a Mithraeum temple (sanctuary of the cult of Mithra) have been discovered at the place called Les Bolards.
During the medieval period, two small towns developed: Nuits-Amont, where the church of Saint-Symphorien is located, and Nuits-Aval. The town of Nuits has been mentioned many times, under different names, since the 10th century. The church of Saint-Symphorien was built in the 13th century, and it was from the middle of the 14th century that the town built ramparts, which would bring together Nuits-Amont and Nuits-Aval.
At that time, a vineyard in a parish was named after Saint-Georges, because relics of George of Lydda, a Christian martyr, had been brought to the area in the 4th century. St George is a crucial figure throughout Burgundy, and is also the patron saint of the Besançon-based order of chivalry. However, it was not until 1892 that the commune of Nuits finally took the name of Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Characteristics of the wines
This vineyard comprises two parts, one from Vosne-Romanée to the combe de la Serrée, the other towards the South. Thus, nuances appear among the wines. Under a dusky purple colour, intense and sometimes tending towards mauve, the red often evokes roses and liquorice. Youthful aromas: cherry, strawberry, blackcurrant. Notes of macerated fruits (prune) complete the bouquet of the appellation Nuits-Saint-Georges. Vigorous and full-bodied, it has body and chewiness, on a balanced and well-structured. Long in the mouth, the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation is fully appreciated after a few years of ageing: maturity rounds it out in a sensual and racy way.
The rare whites of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation have a deep golden colour. A firm wine and voluntarily heady, with the brioche bouquet, honeyed sometimes on bottom of white flowers.
Advice of the Butler
Red : full-bodied and powerful, it gives to the Côte de Nuits its letters of nobility and its tempered character. Nothing more normal than the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation goes on the table with meats at the same time tasty and virile, roasted lamb, rib of beef, duck breast by capturing their fibres in a solid net. The same goes for game, flattered by the wild and animal aromas that emerge with age of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation bottle. Gourmets also serve it with certain fish such as carp in matelotte with red wine. Finally, soft cheeses with a washed rind such as Epoisses, Langres or Soumaintrain.
Serving temperature: 15 to 16°C.
White: the rare white wines of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation are racy and opulent, hence their preference for grilled sea fish and grilled or gratinated shellfish.
Temperature of service: 12 to 13 °C.
Terroirs
In the northern part, the soils come from silt with pebbles coming down from the Côte, from the alluvium of the Meuzin valley when they are not located at the top of the hillside. In the southern part, the lower silts come from the combe des Vallerots (deep soil, marl and limestone), while at the top of the hillside, the rock is caressed. The exposure is mostly to the east or south-east.
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