2022 Gerard Julien Les Bousselots Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, Burgundy

A touch of herbal tea character is present on the cool aromas of plum, the sauvage and earth that are trimmed in moderate wood. The suave, round and concentrated medium-bodied flavors possess a borderline seductive texture, all wrapped in a powerful, serious and compact finale that is also youthfully austere. This is lovely but a wine that's going to require some patience.

90-93 points Allen Meadows burghound.com Jan 2024

From a .80 ha holding in the southern part of the vineyard.

Gérard Julien Les Bousselots Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru is a confident, terroir-driven Burgundy from one of the standout Premier Cru sites in the northern sector of Nuits-Saint-Georges. The Julien family, based in nearby Comblanchien, has been tending these vineyards for generations, and under the rising talent of Etienne Julien, the domaine is producing wines with greater clarity, energy and finesse.

Les Bousselots sits just below the Vosne-Romanée border, where the soils are finer and more limestone-rich than in the southern part of the appellation. This gives the wine more elegance and aromatic lift while retaining the firm structure Nuits is known for. Julien’s organic approach in the vineyard and restrained winemaking in the cellar allows that natural tension to shine through.

The wine opens with aromas of redcurrant, cherry pit, crushed rose, wet stone and subtle spice. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with vibrant acidity, fine-grained tannins and a long, mineral-inflected finish. There’s a savoury edge here that gives it real depth and age-worthiness, while the perfume and fruit keep it utterly engaging.

Pair it with duck confit, roast pork with fennel, or wild mushroom fricassée. This Premier Cru has the bones to cellar for 10 to 15 years, growing in complexity and grace.