Description

Described by an extraordinary micro negociant by Jancis. Mounir and Rotem Saouma’s find best parcels possible to make great Burgundy. The name Lucien le Moine is a tongue in cheek reference to Mounir having studied and worked in a Trappist Monastery. Long elevage (aging), no racking, work with the lees and minimal sulphur are all keys to the quality here. Le Moine Les Arguillieres 2014 is elegantly styled and built for the cellar.

Nuits-St-Georges

The main trading town of the Cotes de Nuits the wines here are sturdy. And by sturdy I mean tannic. They have some of the biggest tannins of all the reds with some nice fruit cake like characters and a limestone core. There are no Grand Crus here but there is some seriously impressive Premier Cru and Village wine to be had.

Burgundy

The classic part of Burgundy known as the Cote D’Or (the slope of gold) is essentially one vineyard that is 60km long and maybe 5km at its widest. From this limestone ridge some of the most complex, long-lived and aromatic wines are produced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Cistercian monks who owned the land codified the entire region and so each small plot has a name.

Pinot Noir

This is the most elusive grape. It is relatively early ripening and extremely sensitive to terroir. Its perfect place on earth is the Cote d’Or in Burgundy. So haunting are great red Burgundy’s charms that growers everywhere try to emulate them. Pinot Noir is not just a one trick pony, it can make great reds, rosé, sparkling and even sweet wines, whites on occasion and I’ve tasted a decent fortified Pinot Noir too.