The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Clos des Porrets Saint-Georges 1er Cru has a well-defined bouquet, a mélange of red and black fruit, sous-bois and touches of crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, saline and slightly peppery with a structured, quite firm yet balanced finish. Give this another couple of years in bottle. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

From a climat that was largely spared by the hail that impacted this commune, Gouges's 2018 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Porrets Saint Georges offers up a generous, youthfully fruit-driven bouquet of plums, raspberries and cassis mingled with subtle hints of cola and creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, pure and velvety, it's layered and fleshy, with powdery tannins and an ample core of fruit. This is a rather ripe, sumptuous, even rather heady example of the frequently rather stern Clos des Porrets Saint Georges, and in that respect, it's very typical of the vintage.

Mid ruby. Much less strange on the nose than the NSG Clos de la Fontaine. Subtle but inviting dark fruit that is ripe but perfectly fresh. And just a touch peppery. Firm, deep and quite tannic, though the tannins are fine and chalky. Quite austere on the palate, not trying to charm, but should come around to something rather elegant. The empty glass has a lovely smoky note. (JH)