Clos de l'Arlot
cloh duh lar-LOH
A monopole premier cru of rare elegance, carved from an ancient quarry on the southern edge of Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Clos de l'Arlot is a 2-hectare monopole premier cru in Nuits-Saint-Georges, owned exclusively by Domaine de l'Arlot. The vineyard sits on a former quarry site in Prémeaux, giving it an amphitheater shape and distinctive rocky soils. AXA Millésimes has owned the domaine since 1991, producing Pinot Noir of refined, delicate character.
- Monopole: sole ownership by Domaine de l'Arlot (AXA Millésimes since 1991)
- 2 hectares planted predominantly to Pinot Noir for red wine production
- Located in Prémeaux commune, classified under Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation
- Former quarry site gives the vineyard its distinctive amphitheater shape
- Soils transition from white oolite at the top to ostrea acuminata marl at the bottom
- Named after a natural spring found at the bottom of the plot
- Vineyard origins date to the 18th century
Location and Classification
Clos de l'Arlot sits within the commune of Prémeaux, at the southern end of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation in the Côte de Nuits. Despite its Prémeaux address, the vineyard is classified as a Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru, a designation that applies to several premier cru sites in this commune. As a monopole, the entire 2-hectare parcel falls under single ownership, making it one of the more distinctive holdings in the appellation.
- Commune: Prémeaux, appellation: Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru
- Monopole status means one producer controls all production
- Located in the Côte de Nuits, Burgundy's heartland for Pinot Noir
Terroir and Soils
The vineyard occupies a former quarry site, which explains its unusual amphitheater shape and mixed aspect. The rocky, rugged soils vary with elevation: white oolitic limestone dominates the upper sections, while ostrea acuminata marl characterizes the lower portions of the plot. This geological transition, combined with the site's varied exposures, contributes to complexity in the finished wines. The cool temperate continental climate of the Côte de Nuits completes a terroir profile that favors precision and finesse over power.
- Upper soils: white oolite limestone, rocky and well-drained
- Lower soils: ostrea acuminata marl, richer in clay content
- Former quarry origin creates the characteristic amphitheater topography
- Mixed exposures due to the curved, bowl-shaped site
History and Ownership
The vineyard dates to the 18th century and takes its name from a spring, known as an arlot in local dialect, located at the bottom of the plot. The site's quarrying history predates viticulture there, and the excavated landscape left behind the distinctive bowl-shaped terrain that defines the clos today. AXA Millésimes, the wine investment arm of the French insurance group AXA, acquired Domaine de l'Arlot in 1991. The domaine operates as a single-estate producer, with Clos de l'Arlot as its flagship premier cru red.
- Name derives from a spring ('arlot') at the base of the vineyard
- Vineyard established in the 18th century on a former quarry site
- AXA Millésimes purchased the domaine in 1991
- Domaine de l'Arlot remains the sole producer from this monopole
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Clos de l'Arlot produces Pinot Noir of notable refinement and purity. The wines are characterized by delicate structure, red fruit character, and an elegant, precise architecture rather than the weight or tannin grip associated with some other Nuits-Saint-Georges premiers crus. The combination of rocky soils, mixed exposures, and cool climate tends to produce wines that reward patience in the cellar. Chardonnay is also grown in the vineyard, though the domaine's primary focus for this site is the red wine.
- Primary variety: Pinot Noir (red wine focus for Clos de l'Arlot)
- Style: refined, pure, elegant with red fruit at the forefront
- Lighter in structure than many Nuits-Saint-Georges premiers crus
- Chardonnay also present in the vineyard
Refined and pure Pinot Noir with red cherry, raspberry, and delicate floral notes. Elegant structure with fine tannins, restrained oak influence, and a precise, clean finish. Less muscular than many Nuits-Saint-Georges, with the emphasis firmly on finesse.
- Domaine de l'Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de l'Arlot$80-120The monopole's definitive expression; refined red-fruit Pinot Noir from 18th-century vines on rocky former-quarry soils.Find →
- Clos de l'Arlot is a monopole premier cru in Nuits-Saint-Georges, owned entirely by Domaine de l'Arlot (AXA Millésimes since 1991)
- Physically located in Prémeaux commune but classified under the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation
- Former quarry site creates the amphitheater topography; soils shift from oolite limestone (top) to ostrea acuminata marl (bottom)
- Name comes from a spring ('arlot') at the base of the plot; vineyard dates to the 18th century
- Wine style is notably elegant and refined for Nuits-Saint-Georges, with red fruit character and delicate structure