Nuits Saint Georges 2023 Domaine Lecheneaut

The Nuits-Saint-Georges 2023 from Domaine Lécheneaut is one of the most representative and accessible cuvées from this family domaine active for more than sixty years at the heart of the appellation itself, an address that Bettane & Desseauve describe as having "volume and that frisky character that makes it irresistible". This Nuits-Saint-Georges village wine is an assemblage of several parcels from the commune, including part of the upper section of Les Damodes, a lieu-dit bordering Vosne-Romanée whose vines confer on the wine a finesse and elegance that far exceed a simple village wine. An ideal introduction to the world of a domaine whose prices remain reasonable despite a quality that places its wines among the essential references of the Côte de Nuits.

The terroir and the vines

This Nuits-Saint-Georges village comes from several carefully selected parcels across the commune's holdings, part of which comes from the upper zone of Les Damodes, a lieu-dit on the border of Vosne-Romanée, where Philippe and Vincent Lécheneaut blend village grapes with their other Nuits-Saint-Georges parcels since taking over the domaine in 1986. This careful blending of different sectors, some more powerful and structured, others more fine and floral, is precisely what gives this village wine its character, at once dense and elegant, unmistakable. The soils are argilo-calcareous, typical of the Côte de Nuits, with a stony, well-draining structure that ensures consistent ripeness and aromatic concentration true to the terroir. The vines are tended according to practices respecting natural balance, without herbicides, with low yields and rigorous selection in the vineyard, producing grapes of irreproachable quality and consistency. Harvesting is entirely manual, with a second sorting in the cellar before vinification. Ageing is conducted with a proportion of new oak adapted to village-level expression, enough to bring complexity without ever dominating the fruit.

Tasting profile

The colour is a deep ruby with violet reflections, bright and of fine intensity. The nose is immediately expressive and engaging, in the domaine's classical style: aromas of crisp cherry, raspberry and fresh blackcurrant open naturally and precisely, accompanied by discreet floral touches of rose and peony, a light note of white pepper and a hint of liquorice. The ageing, well integrated, brings depth and complexity without ever masking the fruit. On the palate, the wine is straightforward and precise, with a character at once frisky and structured, generous material and silky tannins of great elegance, carried by fresh acidity that brings tension and length. The finish is clean, fruity and slightly mineral, with an aromatic persistence that far exceeds simple village level. A wine for immediate pleasure and for the cellar, its potential will express itself fully over five to ten years.

The domaine

Domaine Lécheneaut was founded in the 1950s by Fernand Lécheneaut, a native of Morey who settled in Nuits-Saint-Georges on 2.5 hectares of vines. In 1986, his sons Philippe and Vincent took over the domaine after training at the Lycée Viticole de Beaune, enlarged it to 10 hectares and modernised its facilities with a clear vision: wines in a classical Burgundian style, with good density but without excess, and a frank, precise expression of terroir. Today, the third generation embodied by Jules is entering the domaine, ensuring the continuity of a family craft. The domaine produces 18 appellations from fewer than 60,000 bottles per vintage, a confidential output spread across Nuits-Saint-Georges, Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-Saint-Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin, testimony to exemplary mastery and consistency for more than forty years.

Food pairings

This Nuits-Saint-Georges will pair beautifully with roast beef with woodland mushrooms, braised rabbit with lardons, roasted Bresse chicken with herbs, sautéed veal with chanterelles or duck breast with cherries. It will also find fine harmony with soft cheeses such as Époisses, Soumaintrain or Cîteaux. Served between 15 and 17 °C, it will reveal all the fruity precision and natural elegance of a classical Nuits-Saint-Georges, signed by one of the most reliable winemaking families of the Côte de Nuits.