Domaine R. Dubois & Fils Nuits-Saint-Georges Rouge 1er Cru “Clos des Argillieres”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The soil is dominated by limestone covered by a layer of rich clay with some stone. Situated on the hill facing the village of Premeaux-Prissey, it is thus benefited by the exposure to the sun rising in the east.
- These parcels are aged on average of 60 years.
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Elaboration: The harvest of the grapes is performed manually. After reception of the winery and destemming, the must is placed in a vat for a period of 12 to 15 days. For the three first days, the temperature is maintained between 61 to 65°C. This process allows to keep the primary aromas in the wine. After the temperature of the vat naturally elevates to be maintained between 83 and 91°F during a few days. Wines stay 15 months in cellar before being bottled. During this period, the wine undergoes a second fermentation named malolactic fermentation which allows it to stabilize its structure. It spends about 12 months of its life in oak barrels with one third in new barrels, in order to give it the necessary tannin. After this time, the wines are prepared for bottling.
Tasting Notes: Aromas of red fruit (cherry, blackcurrant, raspberry) evolving with a touch of liquorice and toasted nuts. It is balanced and powerful. Robust and generous, the Clos des Argillières preserve their character acquiring a beautiful roundness after ageing, changing and evolving with an aroma of violets.
PRESS
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PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The history of Dubois winegrowers begins around 1600 with the birth of Emiland Dubois, the first ancestor and winegrower to be found in official records. More recently, Louis Dubois (1874 – 1947) took over his first plot of vines in 1898, then developed the estate with 5 acres of vines in the village of Premeaux-Prissey and Nuits-Saint-Georges. His son, Robert (1910 – 2004), devoted his life to the estate’s vines, and further increased its size by acquiring his first Nuits Premier Cru plot in 1961. Régis Dubois (born 1939), took up the reins with his wife Christiane, and extended the vineyard from 10 to 25 acres, and then to 50 acres. To increase the value of the wine, he began to bottle the production from 1969 onwards. Presently, Régis manages the technical matters of the domaine.
The fourth generation begins in 1969 with the birth of Raphaël. Since 2006, the vineyard has been managed by Raphaël and his sister, Béatrice Dubois. Raphaël oversees the marketing of the wines and public relations. Béatrice is an oenologist who is truly passionate about wine. She divides her time between producing, analyzing and monitoring the estate’s wines, and customer tastings all over the world, which have now replaced her vinification work in the southern hemisphere.