Nuits St Georges, Les St Georges, 1er Cru [SHC], 2005

Bright ruby-red. Knockout nose combines kirsch, licorice and minerals; this, too, has a liqueur-like aspect but retains freshness and lift. Sweet but tangy in the mouth, with firm minerality and stony character giving the dark fruit and violet flavors terrific lift. Wonderfully sappy, tactile wine, finishing with suave, broad tannins and superb mounting persistence. A transcendent Nuits-Saint-Georges in the making: this has the fine-grained texture, nuance and dimension of a grand cru. One of the most promising wines I've tasted from this estate in a long time.