2017 Domaine Henri Gouges Clos des Porrets Saint-Georges Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Burgundy 750 ml

When it comes to loving Burgundy, we owe it all to Henri Gouges. He nearly single-handedly established the tradition of terroir-driven, domaine-bottled Pinot Noir, overpowering the controlling négociants of his day and thrusting the region into the modern era.

This bottling of Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges is the appellation’s crowning achievement, a Grand Cru in all but name. It’s a wine we’ve chased for years, and we’re ecstatic to share it with you.

We lucked into a tiny library release a couple of years ago, and it sold out in a matter of hours. Co-owners Pierre and Christian Gouges took note of this, and they set aside 56 cases of the 2017 for us. 

This deep, polished wine has everything a Pinot lover could want. Black raspberry, moss, and lavender rise from the glass in a heady approach. Rich layers peel away through the palate to reveal a wine of classic Nuits depth and concentration. The finish shows off physicality and ripeness that Jeb Dunnuck called “beautifully complex.” 

Allen Meadows of Burghound called Gouges “one of the true historic domaines” of the region, “as responsible as any in Burgundy for making it what it is today.” Many Burgundy experts think Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges deserves Grand Cru status. 

In the 1970s, Henri’s grandson Pierre pioneered low-intervention vineyard approaches that are widespread in Burgundy today, achieving wines of greater clarity, depth, and structure. Today, Pierre’s son Grégory is the family’s winemaker, and he’s built a new, modern facility. The quality of the wine has soared.

If it weren’t for Gouges, the world’s most prestigious monopoles would still be sold in bulk—and we would not have Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges, the defining wine of Nuits-Saint-Georges.