There are few names in Burgundy that command the respect of Domaine Henri Gouges, the historic benchmark of Nuits‑Saint‑Georges and a domaine whose 1er Crus have defined the appellation for nearly a century. Today’s spotlight—the 2022 Nuits‑Saint‑Georges 1er Cru “Clos des Porrets St‑Georges” Monopole—is the estate’s most singular vineyard: a former quarry carved into calcareous scree and pink limestone, once worked by the monks of Cîteaux. It is the only fruit that goes into this bottling, and in 2022 it delivered one of the most riveting, terroir‑etched wines in the entire Côte de Nuits. Wine Spectator stamped it with 95 points, placing it shoulder‑to‑shoulder with far pricier Premier Crus.

What makes today’s offer so compelling is simple: tariff‑free pricing and a wine that outperforms nearly everything around it. Most 2023 Village Nuits‑Saint‑Georges are hitting the market at the same price as today’s 1er Cru monopole—and that’s before you consider the prestige of the site or the 95‑point press. When you compare this to what top neighbors like Chevillon, Confuron, Liger‑Belair, or Domaine de l’Arlot fetch for their Premier Crus, the value becomes almost absurd. Depending on the vintage, it’s splitting hairs between Clos des Porrets and Les Saint‑Georges, and in 2022 the gap is razor‑thin.

Tale of the Tape - Gouges 1er Cru Comparison 

“Les Saint‑Georges” 1er Cru: U.S. Retail Avg: $487 / Wine Spectator 96 Points

“Clos des Porrets St‑Georges” 1er Cru: SommSelect: $110 on 3+ / Wine Spectator 95 Points

For Burghounds, we wanted to kick off the year with one of the savviest collection buys out there. Gouges’ track record is ironclad, the terroir is singular, and the price is a gift—especially at $110 on 3+. This is the kind of Burgundy that disappears from the market and then becomes impossible to replace. If you’re building a cellar with long‑term upside, or simply want a Premier Cru that punches like a Grand Cru without the sticker shock, today’s Clos des Porrets Monopole is the move.

The tasting experience is classic Gouges: dark‑red fruit, crushed rock, violets, and a firm mineral spine, all wrapped in the vintage’s seductive purity. It’s powerful yet composed, structured yet lifted—everything you want from southern Nuits‑Saint‑Georges. Short and sweet: a wine that tastes like Les Saint‑Georges at half the price. The finish is long, savory, and unmistakably from this unique monopole site. This is the kind of Burgundy that collectors buy by the case because it ages beautifully and drinks with authority even in youth.

Critical Acclaim: 95 Points, Wine Spectator:

• “The 2022 Nuits Saint-Georges Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges 1er Cru had been racked the previous week, but it was essentially the final wine I tasted as it was just about to be bottled. It has a stricter and more backward bouquet than the Chênes Carteaux: blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, the 20% new oak neatly folded in. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins, leaning more towards black fruit laced with tar and tobacco. Quite Morey-like towards the finish with impressive persistence. Give this two or three years in bottle to shave the edges. Very fine.”