Nuits - Les Proces		1985	R. Arnoux

9/95. Acquired from England Aug-95 for $30 (imported for $40 net).
An uncommon 1er Cru from the small (1.5 acres) holding of the fine Nuits producer Domaine Arnoux. This evening with the new Israeli forum recruit Daniel Rogov, accompanying dinner and the pretty sad affair of tonight's EuroCO.
Daniel brought with him a bottle of '85 Bichot's Nuits-St. Georges 'Les Boudots'. Having smelled and tasted this rough, unclean, dark, high-alcohol acidic and generally inelegant wine, I suggested to open a similar bottle side by side. We all agreed the comparison of two Nuits 1er Crus from the same vintage might prove interesting. Well, Robert Arnoux is *NOT* Domaine Bichot... I don't want anybody to get the impression Daniel brings cheap wines. In his capacity as a wine critic in Israel he gets to sample all newly made or newly imported wines, this (and other) Bichot wines are now commercially imported over here. Poor Rogov has to taste the good with the bad, that's his job < g >. Back to the Arnoux wine:
COLOR: Quite light but brilliant ruby-red (as opposed to the very dark, even muddy Bichot), paling towards the rim.
NOSE: Most delicate 'Bourgogne nose' setting the backdrop for very discernable though not overpowering fresh red-berries fruit.
TASTE: Surprisingly delicate (for a Nuits!) on the palate. Good fruit amidst very slight 'gamey' tones. Still vibrant though almost devoid of tannins.
LENGTH: Medium-short very pleasant mature-(B) aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: A very well-made light-bodied Nuits 1er Cru. The abundant fruit combined with good acidity give the impression of a younger wine. The lack of tannins and the 'gamey' tones though indicate this truly good 1er Cru is as mature as it should get. En Point!
OVERALL: Very good+! A beautiful example that a good Nuits-St. Georges 1er Cru need not be a blockbuster or heavy or anything that is associated with the old-fashioned perception of this appellation. Having said that, this wine could have a bit more concentration (which would have put it in the 'Excellent' category).
MARK: 16+/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Maybe.

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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.