The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru needs a little coaxing from the glass but responds with dark cherry fruit, Seville orange marmalade and allspice aromas. It is certainly very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip on the entry, quite foursquare but focused, and the red berry fruit is tinged with orange peel and black pepper. The finish is very persistent and quite voluminous. This is a classy Les Pruliers that should age with style.

In tank and will be bottled in February. There’s a light vanilla sweetness here though there’s less than 30% new oak, and peppery cherry fruit. Really peppery and quite tight on the palate, not so much flesh but real persistence. A little smoky and savoury. Darker on the palate too, with all that peppery spice. Very ‘masculine’, dry in texture, rather sober. With air the fruit opens but it’s tight and quite closed at the moment. Marked freshness on the finish, tangy even though it is all tied up and tense. (JH)