2023 Faiveley Nuits Saint Georges Les Montroziers, Burgundy

The wine has a pale ruby colour. The nose is finely herbal and gently roasted, with notes of roasted thyme, tobacco, dried rosemary and dried mint, allied to a touch of roasted red cherry and roasted meat in the background.

92 points Vert de Vin

Les Montroziers sits just outside the village centre of Nuits Saint Georges, on soils that tend to give a slightly more open, expressive take on Pinot Noir, but still with that underlying firmness the appellation is known for. Domaine Faiveley, with nearly two centuries of history, has evolved into one of Burgundy’s most precise houses, and under Erwan Faiveley the reds have taken on a more polished, finely tuned feel while keeping their structure intact.

The 2023 has a darker, more grounded aromatic profile than many Côte de Nuits villages wines. Black cherry and ripe raspberry sit alongside plum skin, with layers of violet, clove and a touch of forest floor starting to emerge. There’s a gentle oak spice in the background, but it’s well absorbed, adding shape rather than flavour.

Give it a moment and it starts to unfurl, a hint of game, dried herbs and something slightly smoky creeping in, giving it that classic Nuits Saint Georges personality, a little more serious, a little more brooding than its neighbours further north.

There’s a firmness to the structure that defines the wine. Tannins are present and finely grained, holding the fruit in place, while acidity threads through and keeps everything lifted. The fruit sits in the darker spectrum, but it’s not heavy, more about depth and persistence than power. The finish carries on with spice, earth and a faint mineral note that lingers.

This is where it really comes into its own with food. Duck with a cherry glaze is a natural, but it also works beautifully with dishes like mushroom pithivier, lentils with roasted root vegetables, or even a truffle laden pasta where the earthy elements mirror the wine’s savoury core. There’s enough structure here to handle richer plates, but also enough finesse to not overwhelm.

It’s still young and benefits from air, but there’s plenty of reward ahead for those who give it time, easily ten to fifteen years as it softens and opens into something more layered and complex.