Nuits St Georges Clos des Porrets St Georges Henri Gouges 2017 (750ML)

92 Points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate: "Aromas of wild berries and forest floor mingle with notions of grilled game and raw cocoa in a complex bouquet, framed by cedary new oak, introducing the 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Porrets Saint Georges. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, layered and decidedly velvety for a young Clos des Porrets, with ripe tannins, tangy acids and a long, succulent finish." 1/19

90-92 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Clos des Porrets-Saint Georges 1er Cru has an attractive bouquet of black cherries, bilberry jam, a touch of blue fruit and just a hint of licorice. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit. There is an initial burst and then everything clamps back down so that the second half is structured and grippy. Lacks a little charm at the moment, but give this time in bottle." 1/19

90-92 Points, Allen Meadows' Burghoung: "The wood treatment is a bit more evident than with any of the prior wines but not so much as to diminish the appeal of the earthier and cooler aromas of violet, plum and full-on sauvage notes. The delicious middle weight flavors are more refined than usual if not actually refined, all wrapped in detailed, focused and solidly powerful finish. Note that while this will certainly age, it's sufficiently round to make for reasonably good early drinking." 1/19

94 Points, John Gilman, View from the Cellar: "These last three premier crus in the Gouges cellars were still in barrel and showing marvelously. The 2017 Clos des Porrets is going to be a classic example of this fine terroir, with the bouquet offering up scents of roasted red and black cherries, a touch of new leather, woodsmoke, a very complex base of soil, grilled venison. Bitter chocolate, a hint of chicory and a deft framing of vanillin oak. This is by far the most structured and masculine premier cru in the cellar, up to this point. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite pure on the attack, with a very solid core of fruit, a proper sense of youthful reserve, ripe tannins and a very long, very well-balanced and soil-driven finish. This is excellent and will need fully a decade (or perhaps a bit longer) to blossom and start to stir. It is a dynamite Nuits in the making! 2027-2075." 12/18