2016 Domaine de l’Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de l'Arlot Blanc, Burgundy

Monopole. The Clos de l’Arlot Blanc comes from two small parcels of vines—planted in 1957 and 1984—on the steepest, rockiest section of this vineyard. The soil here is white, chalky clay and the hard limestone bedrock is near the surface, making the parcel challenging to cultivate. In fact here everything has to be done by hand (as it is in much of the Clos), including weeding and spraying. Think about that for a moment. Pretty crazy stuff. Our small allocation reflects the tiny production. Although the exposure of the site means genuine ripeness and always results in a more exotic white than La Gerbotte, the old vines and poor soils always seem to have the last word when it comes to the mineral freshness of the wine. As we have said, Godot’s 2016 version is the finest young white we have tasted from this site; it’s got the deep stone-fruited concentration of the site and the yields, yet it remains tightly wound, a racy, mineral jet of chalky, matchstick-y goodness. 

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“The 2016 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de l'Arlot Blanc was rdaised in 20% new oak. It has a well-defined bouquet with citrus lemon, Granny Smith apples and subtle tropical notes (peach and a hint of guava) joining the fray with time in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a lovely, harmonious, peach-tinged opening complemented by light apricot and fresh ginger notes. There is commendable concentration here, a fine bead of acidity with a precise finish. Excellent.”