Bibendum Session Tapes #3 - Domaine de l'Arlot 'A Tale of Two Clos'

Bibendum Session Tapes #3 - Domaine de l'Arlot 'A Tale of Two Clos'

Posted by Joe Perry on 28th May 2020

We've teamed up with our good friends at Bibendum to invite you to participate in a virtual tasting with winemaker Géraldine Godot. Since joining the Domaine in 2014, the energy and dynamism that Godot has brought to Domaine de l’Arlot is unmistakable.

The wines will be availabe in two packs - purchases these packs here

Pack One - $406 including delivery

Domaine de l'Arlot Nuits Saint Georges La Gerbotte Blanc 2017
Domaine de l’Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts 2017

Pack Two - $515 including delivery

Domaine de l'Arlot Nuits Saint Georges La Gerbotte Blanc 2017
Domaine de l'Arlot Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts 2017
Domaine de l'Arlot Côte de Nuits Clos du Chapeau 2017

Check out full tasting notes on the wines below and Bibendum's Robert Walter's review of the 2017 vintage below 

Nuits-Saint-Georges Cuvée La Gerbotte Blanc 2017

'This wine comes mostly from a small plothistorically called La Gerbottein the southern most part of Arlot’s monopole 1er Cru vineyardClos de l’Arlot. Situated behind the main house, the vines here border the Clos de la Maréchale,where Fred Mugnier has now also planted Chardonnay(Mugnier has been quieabout the fact that he was inspired by the whites of Clos de l’Arlot).La Gerbotte is a slightly cooler site with a different geology to the other Clos de l’Arlot vines,and has pink Prémeaux limestone rather than the white limestone of the rest of the Clos. Planted between 1992 and 2006, the 0.49 hectares of vines include about 2% Pinot Beurot (Pinot Gris).Although this wine could be legally labelled as 1er cru, the Estate has chosen not to do so until the vines reach a higher maturity.That makes this an unequivocal bargain in terms of the quality,and in the context of modern Burgundy prices.On top of the Gerbotte fruit, this cuvée also includes some younger vine material from the Clos de l'Arlot as well as some press wine from the same source.Raised with 20% new oak,this is superb and so unique: a classically styled, pulpy and pure Nuits blanc with abundant grip and salty drive. I love it.'

Domaine de l’Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts 2017

'This is the second of the two great monopole vineyards at the core of this Domaine and it is also one of the great terroirs of Nuits, made clear by its position so close to Les Saint-Georges(and its name which reflects this proximity).At 7.2 hectares,Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges is by far the largest single parcel in the l’Arlot stable,and produces the Estate’s most profound red wine.Running the entire width of the Côte,from the forest to the RN74, Forêts contains three distinct terroirs which l’Arlot pick and vinify separately.From top to bottom these are:a band of white oolitic limestone with very little top soil; a fracture in the middle of the vineyard, where pink Prémeaux limestone takes over; then ‘younger’ Ladoix limestone and more clay at the bottom of the slope. A portion of the youngest vines were previously harvested for the now defunct ‘Petits Plets’ cuvéeat over 30 years old, these have now come of age and so form part of this cuvée. This is the deepest, most intense red in the l’Arlot stable and one that perfectly highlights the dark fruited, meaty, earthy, inky power of this terroir. As with the Clos de l’ArlotForêts took 50% new oak in the maturation, yet the fruit forth is cuvée was completely de-stemmed.As the notes below make clear, the 2017 is an outstanding example of this wine, dripping with black cherry, cassis and crushed brown spice aromas and flavours. The palate is really finely textured with superb depth,and much more finesse thawe typically expect of this terroir when so young.Godot explained that the extraction came so easily this year that she was really gentle and the results are truly superb.Again, and as always,Benchmark Premier Cru Nuits'

Domaine de l'Arlot Côte de Nuits Clos du Chapeau 2017

The appellation Côte de Nuits-Villages covers vines across five villages: Fixin, Brochon, PrémeauxComblanchien and Corgoloin. This wine however comes only from a single,1.6 hectare site called Clos du Chapeau, another monopole of Domaine de l’Arlot,located in Comblanchien (just south of Nuits).It’s a hat-shaped plot (hence the name) where the soil has plenty of limestone gravel eroded from the hills above. The vines were planted between 1987 and 1991.  The 2017 is a pretty and vivid expression of this site, brimming with joyful, tangy red cherry fruit and spice,but with lovely, seductive flesh as well.The nose is still throwing some oak spice but the palate is oh-so-pure. It will age but is already a lovely drink. In the context of today’s Burgundy,it’s a bargain' 

Domaine de l'Arlot 2017 vintage report - Robert Walters

'I’m not going to dwell on the fact that 2017 is a beautiful Burgundy vintage—this is self-evident to anyone who has tasted at the top Domaines. What’s important in this offer is to stress that this is a truly brilliant vintage at Domaine de l’Arlot. To that end I completely agree with Neal Martin when he writes that Geraldine Godot is likely making the finest wines that this Domaine has produced—certainly in the last decade .I have had long discussions with Godot regarding her approach and her plans at Domaine de l’Arlot: she is an extremely thoughtful, sensitive and intelligent winemaker and we have seen this playing out in the last few releases. All have been outstanding ,but I particularly love 2017 for the haunting finesse on offer. The purity, the perfume, the seduction–yet still with enough stuffing to age very well. This is why we buy Burgundy in the first place: to be able to drink wines like these

l’Arlot’s pickers went out on September 7 and finished by September 14, bringing in fruit with between 13.0° and 13.2° potential alcohol .In other words, perfectly ripe by Burgundy standards. There was also terrific freshness in the juice. Godot’s use of whole bunches and new oak was adapted to each terroir and each cuvée, as you can read in the notes below. Factor in this vigneronne’s light touch during the wine’s élevage, and what we have is a stunning set of wine swith crystalline purity, lacy textures, great balance and excellent terroir expression. It wasn’t a blockbuster, powerful year, rather it is a more ‘Pinot’ vintage, a year of finesse. Thinking of recent vintages here, there is not the density of 2015 and 2016. Rather the weight of 2014comes to mind, but ’17 ratchets things up a few notches. The fruit is more perfumed and lifted, the structure finer. As you can read below, the whites from this year areas outstanding as the reds. In addition to the classic line up, this year sees the first release of a new cuvée, a parcel selection from within the Clos des Forêts that has been labelled: Hors Ligne. As you can tell from the reviews of this wine below, even if she initially didn’t realize it, Godot most certainly had the vintage in the palm of her hand.'