Nuits-Saint-Georges, Domaine du Clos Frantin, 2019
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Domaine du Clos Frantin, 2019
- 75cl
- 13.5%
- Red Still
- Pinot Noir
- Organic
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2035
About Nuits-Saint-Georges, Domaine du Clos Frantin, 2019
"From vines averaging 40 years old in two clay-rich parcels totalling a little under a hectare, 25% whole bunch and with 30% new oak, this sets out the domaine’s stall rather well. This is a great introduction to Clos Frantin, to Cote de Nuits Burgundy in fact, as it is straight down the line, textbook juice. The slightly heavier soils give a generosity to the fruit that defies the NSG’s reputation for austerity but there is no lack of vibrancy."
Tom Harrow, Wine Guru
Coincidentally, we had a really interesting discussion with Delphine when tasting, about more inclusive wine language which has led us to adopt shapes to better describe the character of different cuvées, rather than the increasingly hackneyed and lazy “feminine” and “masculine” tropes. Try the same – even if thinking of wines as circles, square, or square within circles, or even isosceles triangles, might take an epistemological shift. Its overdue!
The 2019 vintage across the Côte de Nuits was warm and generous, and this wine reflects that — it is already approachable, with fruit that sits forward and tannins that are not looking for a fight. We would drink it happily now through 2028 for that primary, fruit-driven pleasure. Between 2028 and 2032, expect the fruit to integrate further and secondary notes — forest floor, dried herb, a little leather — to start showing. It will likely plateau comfortably around 2030 to 2033, offering the most complete expression of what the wine has to give.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep, clear ruby with a luminous garnet core — still youthful and vivid for a seven-year-old Burgundy.
NoseDark cherry and blackcurrant lead, with a note of damson skin and something earthy and beetroot-like underneath. The 30% new oak is present but well-integrated — a light cedary warmth rather than anything imposing. Give it twenty minutes and dried rose petal and a whisper of iron start to emerge.
PalateRounder and more generous than the classic NSG profile suggests, with the clay soils doing their work in the plush, fruit-forward mid-palate. There is real vibrancy here though — this is not a soft or flabby wine — and the tannins are firm without being grippy. The 25% whole bunch adds a subtle spice and structural lift that keeps everything honest.
FinishClean, medium-long, with a savoury mineral pull and a faint graphite edge that lingers pleasingly.
Overall impressionA village Burgundy that quietly argues against NSG's reputation for austerity — and wins.
Food Pairings
In Burgundy, this is exactly the kind of wine pulled out for Sunday lunch — poulet de Bresse roasted with tarragon and a splash of cream, or a coq au vin where the sauce has been built with a bottle of something similar. The locals would not overthink it. Boeuf bourguignon, slow-cooked until the meat collapses, is the classic pairing and it holds up because the wine's structure can handle the richness. A wedge of Époisses, the region's pungent washed-rind cheese, is a brave but rewarding move — the fruit and earthiness of the wine hold their own against it. Simpler still, a plate of charcuterie from the market in Beaune, eaten outside in summer.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 16-17°C — cool enough to preserve freshness, warm enough to let the fruit open up. Decanting for 30 to 45 minutes is worthwhile in 2026; the wine has had time in bottle but still benefits from a little air to loosen up. A large-bowled Burgundy glass is ideal — it gives the aromatics room to develop without dissipating them.
The village-level Nuits-Saint-Georges vineyards farmed by Clos Frantin sit on heavier clay-rich soils than much of the Côte de Nuits, which gives the wine an unusually generous, fleshy character. The domaine works two parcels totalling just under a hectare, with vines averaging 40 years old — old enough to give concentration and composure. Clay retains moisture and moderates temperature, which in a warm year like 2019 is a genuine advantage, keeping freshness in the picture alongside the ripeness.
Nuits-Saint-Georges sits at the southern end of the Côte de Nuits and has a reputation — not entirely fair — for producing the most muscular, tannic reds in Burgundy. Its 41 premier crus are more than any other Côte de Nuits village, yet there is no grand cru, which has kept prices relatively honest. The appellation covers a stretch of mostly limestone and clay soils running between Vosne-Romanée to the north and Premeaux-Prissey to the south, and the best wines combine the structure of Gevrey with something closer to Vosne's fruit density. Village-level wines like this one are often overlooked, but they can over-deliver when the grower is serious.
The 2019 vintage in Burgundy delivered exactly what vignerons needed after a string of challenging years: a textbook growing season that let the grapes ripen slowly and evenly. Spring arrived gently, summer stayed warm without punishing heat spikes, and crucially, September brought those cool nights that preserve acidity whilst allowing full phenolic ripeness. We find ourselves talking about 2019 as one of those vintages where nature simply cooperated, giving winemakers healthy fruit with natural balance rather than forcing them to correct for extremes in the cellar.
What emerged are Burgundies with remarkable freshness married to genuine depth—the Pinot Noirs show that silky texture and bright red fruit character that makes great Burgundy so compelling, whilst the Chardonnays have both the mineral backbone and subtle richness that age beautifully. The quality runs impressively deep across all appellations, from village wines that drink like premier crus to grand crus that remind you why Burgundy commands such devotion. These wines are drinking beautifully now if you fancy them young and vibrant, though we suspect the better bottles will reward patience well into the 2030s.
FAQs
What does this wine taste like?
Generous and fruit-forward with dark cherry, damson, and a beetroot earthiness, underpinned by firm tannins and a savoury mineral finish. It is rounder and more welcoming than the typical Nuits-Saint-Georges stereotype, without losing any of the structure that makes the appellation worth taking seriously.
When should I drink this wine?
It is drinking well now and will continue to do so until around 2033. The 2019 vintage is ripe and approachable, so there is no need to wait — though a couple more years in the cellar will add complexity and let the secondary notes develop further.
Is this a good introduction to Burgundy?
We think it is one of the better ones. It sits at village level, which keeps the price accessible, but the domaine's approach — old vines, clay-rich parcels, thoughtful use of whole bunch and new oak — gives it a character well above its station. It gives you a genuine sense of what the Côte de Nuits is about without requiring a mortgage.
What food should I serve with this?
Roast chicken, coq au vin, or boeuf bourguignon are the classic matches. The wine has enough fruit to handle rich sauces and enough structure to cut through them. Aged hard cheeses work well too — a piece of Comté or a ripe Époisses if you are feeling bold.
How should I serve it?
Around 16-17°C, in a large-bowled Burgundy glass. Decant for 30 to 45 minutes before serving — it opens up noticeably with a little air and the aromatics become more expressive.
How does Domaine du Clos Frantin compare to other Nuits-Saint-Georges producers?
Clos Frantin is part of the Albert Bichot stable, which gives it serious resources and winemaking expertise. The domaine's village NSG is deliberately made as an entry point — honest, well-crafted, and representative of the appellation at its most accessible. It will not outgun a premier cru from a top grower, but it does not pretend to. What it does offer is genuine Côte de Nuits character at a fair price.
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