Domaine Georges Noellat
BRAND OWNER
For the past 10 years, the history of Domaine Georges Noellat has been confusingly linked with the name of Maxime Cheurlin, who took over the domain in 2010. Maxime inherited a famous estate: Georges Noelya was the nephew of Charles Noelya, owner of the high terroirs in Vosne-Romanee (which formed on the basis of Domaine Leroy). In 1990, Georges Noel’s allocation was rented to the houses of Jadot and Drouhin, and after returning to the family property, Maxime Sherlen bought it from his grandmother. Contrary the fact that he was born and raised in Champagne, his roots are quite Burgundian and he is related to the leading figures of Vosne-Romanee, the Jaye and Rouget families (in the domain of the latter, Maxim trained). Domaine Georges Noellat is small. It is only 5.5 hectares but includes star vineyards in Vosne-Romanee and Nuits-Saint-Georges, for example Beaux Monts, Echezeaux, Grands Echezeaux, and Aux Cras. Vosne-Romanee soils are mostly clayey (hence the concentration and case of the wines), interspersed with calcareous levels (responsible in turn for excellent drainage and exquisite aromatics).
Maxime Sherlen set himself the goal of returning to the elegance and sophistication lost during the forced loan and he did it successfully. Additionally, to Vosne-Romanee, Domaine Georges Noellat now owns lots in Nuits-Saint-Georges, as well as small parcels in Echezeaux and Grands-Echezeaux. Maxim practices "reasonable viticulture", lutte raisonnee, using inorganic compounds only where they are indispensable. The elegance of Domaine Georges Noellat wines is born from a delicate attitude to berries and careful vinification. The collection is exclusively manual, as a rule, 100% destemming is used (with the exception of some vintages when the proportion of ridges reaches 30%), cold maceration for several days before fermentation with autochthonous yeasts. Maxim prefers the term "infusion" to extraction, so it is very rare and delicate. Fully trusting in his terroirs, he hardily introduces new oak, its proportion varies from 30 to 100% depending on the appellation and vintage. Exposure lasts from 14 to 20 months, wines are usually bottled without clarification and filtration. Burgundy critics guru Allen Meadows has this to tell about Domaine Georges Noellat: "As for the style of these wines, I would call them frugal and very delicate. This domain is generally somewhat undervalued it is not least because of the youth of its owner, but this is a bad impression. Course, someone would like to see more body and hardness in wines, but they don’t argue about tastes, but as for me, the perfect balance and giving voice to terroirs speak for themselves."
Maxime Sherlen set himself the goal of returning to the elegance and sophistication lost during the forced loan and he did it successfully. Additionally, to Vosne-Romanee, Domaine Georges Noellat now owns lots in Nuits-Saint-Georges, as well as small parcels in Echezeaux and Grands-Echezeaux. Maxim practices "reasonable viticulture", lutte raisonnee, using inorganic compounds only where they are indispensable. The elegance of Domaine Georges Noellat wines is born from a delicate attitude to berries and careful vinification. The collection is exclusively manual, as a rule, 100% destemming is used (with the exception of some vintages when the proportion of ridges reaches 30%), cold maceration for several days before fermentation with autochthonous yeasts. Maxim prefers the term "infusion" to extraction, so it is very rare and delicate. Fully trusting in his terroirs, he hardily introduces new oak, its proportion varies from 30 to 100% depending on the appellation and vintage. Exposure lasts from 14 to 20 months, wines are usually bottled without clarification and filtration. Burgundy critics guru Allen Meadows has this to tell about Domaine Georges Noellat: "As for the style of these wines, I would call them frugal and very delicate. This domain is generally somewhat undervalued it is not least because of the youth of its owner, but this is a bad impression. Course, someone would like to see more body and hardness in wines, but they don’t argue about tastes, but as for me, the perfect balance and giving voice to terroirs speak for themselves."
