Tart cherry fruit and firm tannins collaborate for an impression in Gouges’s 2007 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Pruliers that could almost come from a 2008. Musky floral perfume, smoky black tea, and bitter cherry pit add interest to a Pinot that projects a positive sense of density and a for its vintage unusual degree of vivacity and primary juiciness. Notes of wet stone and humus add almost brooding depth in a finish of strength and – again, for its vintage surprising – focus and clarity. I suspect this is one of those rare spare 2007s that needs a few years in the bottle and ought ultimately to perform well until at least age eight. Gregory Gouges admits that he and his family, in 2008, picked a tough year for completing their conversion to organic viticulture, but he notes that the winds of late September rather radically desiccated most botrytized or otherwise imperfect berries and that this played directly into the forte of vibratory sorting tables on which such berries were simply shaken-away. Yields here were only in the 30-35 hectoliter per hectare range. Harvest began already September 30 and fruit came in between 12-12.5% potential alcohol. Chaptalization was minimal, and then only on a few lots in an effort to prolong fermentation. Malos were late and long, but nevertheless finished by summer’s end; and bottling was early by estate norms, with one exception completed between December and February. New facilities enable the Gouges to achieve better temperature-control during fermentations and to avoid pumping.Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

The 2007 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers has a very pure strawberry jam-scented bouquet accompanied by over-ripe oranges and wild mushroom. The palate is fresh and rounded on the entry. It seems to be maturing quite quickly with plenty of mushroom and forest floor scents taking over and dominating the -furry- mid-palate. The finish is still fresh and lively, but I would be inclined to drink this in the next 5 years as it does not convince as a long-term proposition. Gregory invited me to taste older vintages at the domaine. Alas, I had a pressing appointment, but we did broach one bottle together.