J.J. Confuron Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru Les Chaboeufs 2023

Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron makes this single-variety Pinot Noir from Les Chaboeufs, a Premier Cru plot of barely half a hectare in Nuits-Saint-Georges, in the Côte de Nuits in Burgundy. The vineyard sits on stony, limestone-rich soils, the marl and broken stone that give Côte de Nuits Pinot its structure, red fruit and savoury, earthy depth. The clusters are sorted on arrival and destemmed, then given a pre-fermentation maceration of four to six days at low temperature, a cold soak that draws colour and supple tannin from the skins before alcoholic fermentation begins. The wine is then raised in oak barrel, where the slow oxygen exchange through the staves rounds the tannins and adds a measured frame of spice while the limestone-driven freshness holds the line. The colour is medium ruby. The nose carries red cherry, raspberry and dried rose with liquorice and a clear earthy, mineral note, and the palate is medium bodied and structured, with fine tannins, bright acidity and a long, savoury finish that points to further ageing. Serve at sixteen degrees, decanting if young. Good with roast duck, game and mushroom dishes.