MCF Rare Wine

One of Nuits Saint George's (and Burgundy's) Unsung Gems

There are plenty of 'insider's wines' in Burgundy, and everyone has their favorites.  These are wines that either over deliver on typicity or price (usually both) and are also wines that typically offer a very unique expression of their terroir, especially compared to the other producers in their appellation(s).

These producers also typically have small, but hyper-dedicated fan-bases.

No producer, for me at least, fits all of those descriptions better than Domaine de l'Arlot, an estate that, despite ever-rising prices, still offers unbelievable quality relative to their peers, in an impeccably pure and incomparably elegant style, that is singular and completely unique in the region.

Among l'Arlot's fantastic lineup, too, there is one wine that is the unsung hero among unsung heroes, the 1er Cru Forets Saint Georges.

Yes, l'Arlot has Suchots and Romanee Saint Vivant and even their eponymous Clos de l'Arlot, which are all amazing wines and deserving of their attention, but for me the Forets has its own wonderful niche in the Burgundian universe.

For me, the Forets is always a bit more persistent and firm, with a darker shade of berry to it.  That dark fruit and firmness always finish with a strong, mineral-driven core, all of which gives this particular wine a more intense texture and mouthfeel compared to the rest of the l'Arlot lineup.

As this wine evolves, a broader, forest floor-laden element emerges, but the minerality is always the defining characteristic.

So, we have the unsung gem in an unsung lineup, that I'm now going to offer from an unsung vintage (but also from a highly-praised one as well).  

In terms of highly-praised, the 2015 hype storm has been raging for many months now and the wines are fantastic.  They are structured, persistent and the fruits are dense and of fantastic quality.  On a whole, the vintage reminds me of either a less-weighty version of 2005 or a denser, more fruit-driven 2010.

The 2015 Forets Saint Georges is intoxicating in its dark, perfumed nose and firm tannin buried deep within the intense, yet scaled down fruit.  It's the classic l'Arlot style and a burlier package.

2014, however, is a vintage that many will regret passing on, especially when there's a deal like there is today.  I've yet to encounter a 2014 from any of my go-to producers that wasn't positively delightful.  With their cool, seamlessly elegant and utterly weightless character, many 2014s will end up being 'Told 'ya So' wines in the future.

Case in point the fabulous 2014 Forets, which is utterly captivating with its lifted, flowery and ethereal personality.  In many ways, this wine in this vintage, personifies the Arlot style.  It's fine, it's soft, it's aromatic, it's endlessly complex and it does all of that in such a refined and delicate way.

I've got them both at a really good price today, espeically the 2014.

10-15 years from now, the 2015 will be a cellar trophy, and the 2014 will make you the one who really knows their s#*t at a Burgundy dinner.

You can't go wrong with either (but preferably both)...

These wines are being offered and will be available for pickup or shipment by this Monday, 9/18.

All orders are subject to final confirmation.

To order, please reply to this message or call 212.255.8870.

Matt Franco

MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
249 West 13th Street
New York 10011
mcf@mcf-rarewine.com
212.255.8870
www.mcf-rarewine.com