Nuits Saint Georges 1er cru Les Damodes 2023 Domaine Lecheneaut

The Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes 2023 from Domaine Lécheneaut is the domaine's flagship cuvée, the one that collectors and merchants reach for first when they think of Lécheneaut. It captures the philosophy and style of brothers Philippe and Vincent Lécheneaut, and Wheeler Wine has called it without equivocation one of the most consistent and reliable Premier Crus in their portfolio. This is a wine of remarkable graphite minerality, richly structured yet touched by a floral elegance that speaks to the vineyard's proximity to Vosne-Romanée, and genuine value within the hierarchy of Côte de Nuits crus.

The terroir of Les Damodes

Les Damodes is one of the northernmost Premier Crus of Nuits-Saint-Georges, sitting on the exact border with Vosne-Romanée, just below the Premier Cru Les Malconsorts. This crossroads position between the two communes is crucial to understanding the wine's singular personality. Les Damodes has a floral finesse and aromatic elegance that evoke Vosne-Romanée rather than the more powerful, tannic character of the Premier Crus in the centre or south of Nuits. The soils are very stony and calcareous, with bands of clay-rich silt higher on the slope and pure silt lower down, a profile that favours exceptional drainage, progressive and harmonious ripening of Pinot Noir, and the graphite minerality that is this terroir's historical signature. The exposure is due east on a regular slope. Since 2012, Lécheneaut has separated the classically designated Premier Cru section from the village portion, allowing this Premier Cru to express itself fully and distinctly. Vinification follows the domaine's careful methods: partial or total destemming according to vintage, indigenous yeast fermentation, two to three weeks of maceration with measured punchdowns and pump-overs for gentle extraction, then 18 months of ageing in high-forest oak with roughly one third new wood, enough to add structure and complexity without ever weighing down the terroir's natural finesse.

On the palate

The colour is a deep ruby with violet glints, bright and richly concentrated. The nose is magnificent and forthcoming: deep aromas of black cherry and ripe red fruits emerge with elegance, accompanied by delicate floral notes, liquorice, a light hint of mint, and powerful graphite minerality that is this terroir's absolute signature. The floral character present in all the domaine's wines expresses itself here with particular intensity and nobility. On the palate, the wine shows remarkable freshness and fruit purity alongside a fine, tender structure, a refined palate carried by tannins of remarkable finesse and a bright, precise acidity that brings tension and great length. The finish is long, mineral and persistent, displaying the superb graphite minerality that marks every great vintage of this cuvée. A Premier Cru with lifted, floral aromas and a remarkable mineral finish, approachable in its youth after generous decanting, and built for ten to fifteen years of ageing.

The domaine

Domaine Lécheneaut was founded in the 1950s by Fernand Lécheneaut in Nuits-Saint-Georges. In 1986, his sons Philippe and Vincent took over, expanded the holding to 10 hectares across 18 Côte de Nuits appellations, and modernised the winery with a clear vision: classically Burgundian wines with good density but without excess, offering frank expression of terroir. Since 2017, the third generation, represented by Jules Lécheneaut, has joined the domaine, ensuring the continuity of an exemplary family legacy. With fewer than 60,000 bottles produced each vintage and prices that remain reasonable despite unanimously recognised quality, Domaine Lécheneaut remains one of the most reliable and precious addresses on the Côte de Nuits.

Food and wine

This Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes pairs beautifully with jugged hare, a saddle of venison with wild berries, pheasant in a casserole with wild mushrooms, beef stewed long with onions, or a fine roasted beef with truffle jus. It will also harmonise well with aged cheeses such as Époisses, Soumaintrain, or aged Comté. An hour of decanting is recommended in its youth. Served between 16 and 17 °C, it will progressively reveal all the pure fruit character, graphite minerality, and refined elegance of one of the Côte de Nuits' most consistent and engaging Premier Crus.