I’m urging red Burgundy novices to proceed with caution today. Henri Gouges is the antithesis of plump, accessible, oaky Pinot Noir and there’s a chance you may not “get” the wine if this is your first fine red Burgundy—especially when it comes to the estate’s most treasured “Clos des Porrets” cuvée. Today’s 2012 is an intensely savory ode to Nuits-Saint-Georges’ rustic, pink limestone Premier Cru terroir, so for experienced Burgundy buyers and battle-hardened Pinot traditionalists, this is a bottle to go all-in on (although we only have a handful of cases to share).

For one, Domaine Henri Gouges is one of my favorite addresses in Nuits-Saint-Georges, and renowned Burgundy author Clive Coates is inclined to agree: “If domaines could be doyens, this would be the doyen of the commune.” Secondly, today’s special Premier Cru bottling hails from a 3.6-hectare vineyard exclusively owned—noted by “monopole” on the label—by the Gouges family since 1934. Nearly every critic under the sun raves about “Clos des Porrets” on each release, followed almost always by an alert to the reader that ample patience is required. Generally speaking, a good 7-10 years must pass before these wines even begin to think about blossoming, and after that, they’ll often thrive for decades. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see drinking windows of 50 years, something Neal Martin of Vinous confirmed after tasting a massive vertical dating back to 1945! I know what the lingering question is: How does today’s 2012 hold up? Although it’s probably not an immortal vintage, it’s in a brilliant spot, and will only keep improving over the next 5-8 years. At $85, it’s a muscular, tautly mineral, terroir-packed 1er Cru that should have Burgundy connoisseurs pushing and shoving to acquire a bottle. 

Clive Coates’ “doyen” remark from above is incredibly fitting: Henri Gouges has been producing, bottling, and selling wines directly out of their cellar door since 1920, and the family has roots in Nuits-Saint-Georges that date back to the 17th century. At this point, there isn’t a single soul in Burgundy that doesn’t have a deep familiarity with Domaine Henri Gouges. In the early days, namesake Henri gained quite the reputation as a vigilante due to his heavy involvement in AOC law and the fact that his home served as the headquarters for the local gendarmerie. Along with other legends like Leroy, Rousseau, and d’Angerville, Henri Gouges was among the first to sell estate-bottled wines with guaranteed authenticity, something that earned them great reverence amongst the community. Thankfully, the passing of generations and multiple transitions of ownership within his extended family have only strengthened the domaine’s estimable status because they adhere to tradition and consistency. Really, other than a conversion to organics, the original raw material has hardly changed: their 12 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards have remained the exact same for nearly 90 years. 

Roughly 3.5 hectares of that make up the entirety of 1er Cru “Clos de Porrets-Saint-Georges,” a monopole of the larger 1er Cru “Les Porrets Saint-Georges.” This site, exclusively owned by the Gouges family, was an ancient quarry during monastic times and is planted on a thick bed of rocky pink limestone and clay. The organic grapes are harvested manually and twice-sorted before a complete de-stemming in their “pump-less” cellar. The juice is transferred via gravity into old concrete vessels where a cool, spontaneous fermentation and brief maceration occurs. The resulting wine is then transferred via gravity into premium French barrels, roughly 20% new, for 18 months of aging. Bottling occurs without any fining or filtration. 

Today’s “Clos des Porrets” is nearing its ninth full year of maturity and although it still retains a hard mineral edge and a muscular structure that refuses to stop flexing, it’s slowly revealing an expressive aromatic core that befits the finest red Burgundy. As mentioned above, 10 years of age is the target for these savory, formidable Pinots but that shouldn’t stop you from opening one of your bottles now. With a minimum 60-minute decant, the initially shy nose begins unfurling with damp strawberry, dried plum, sour cherry, black raspberry, forest floor, black tea, balsamic, button mushroom, white rock, and baking spice. The palate is taut and medium-bodied with rustic layers of dried wild berries, crushed stone, and underbrush. It’s not remotely hedonistic in any shape or form—this is a traditional, rugged 1er Cru red Burgundy that radiates minerality, earthy savory, and subtle spice. It’s to be enjoyed throughout an entire evening, and any other bottles you secure should be further cellared for consumption over the next 10+ years. Enjoy.