2005 Nuit St Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers, Jean Grivot

"Etienne Grivot describes 2005 as "at least as good as 2002 and it may very well be better. The growing season was remarkable and only a bit of hail in certain sectors detracts from what was otherwise perfect because it cost us about 20% of our usual quantities. We didn't do a green harvest even without the hail, that's just how good the growing season was. The crop was super clean with excellent sugars, ideal acidities and impeccable phenolic ripeness of the structural elements. Because the sugars were very good, indeed the highest I had was at 13.2%, I chaptalized either none at all or a maximum of one-quarter percent. As I have done for several years now, I destemmed 100% but left the berries intact and worked only with pump overs and no punching down with the goal of working more in the vein of fruit and finesse than extraction. The vinifications were easy and the colors came easily because the skins were so thick. The wines have perfect balance as they're fleshy and rich which buffers the firm but ripe acidities. I very much like the vintage and believe that it has great potential but only time can tell you how good it really is."... As the scores and comments suggest, 2005 is an exceptionally impressive vintage for Grivot..."  Allen Meadows, Burghound