Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges

Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges occupies an east-facing mid-slope position in the southern sector of Nuits-Saint-Georges, sitting at 250 to 260 meters elevation with a slope of 8 to 12 percent. The vineyard forms the northern half of the larger Les Poirets/Les Porrets/Les Porets lieu-dit, which covers 7.3 hectares in total. Soils are a complex mix of calcareous scree with clay, pink stony Premeaux limestone, and oolitic limestone. This calcareous foundation drives the mineral edge that defines the wines from this site. The continental climate brings cold winters, warm summers, and marked day-to-night temperature variation that preserves acidity and builds complexity in the fruit.

• East-facing slope at 250 to 260 meters elevation
• 8 to 12% slope gradient, classic mid-slope Premier Cru position
• Soils: calcareous scree, pink Premeaux limestone, oolitic limestone
• Northern half of the 7.3-hectare Les Porrets lieu-dit

The site has a documented history stretching back to monastic viticulture. Monks of Citeaux Abbey quarried limestone from this land, and the former quarry workings shaped the stony, mineral-rich soils that characterize the vineyard today. The name derives most likely from pear trees, with poiriers being the French term, reflected in the alternate spellings Les Poirets and Les Porets. Domaine Henri Gouges acquired the Clos des Porrets and established it as a monopole, making it one of the most clearly identified single-ownership Premier Crus in Nuits-Saint-Georges. The vineyard is also the documented origin of a spontaneous white mutation of Pinot Noir, which Henri Gouges propagated in the early to mid 20th century and which now bears his name: Pinot Gouges.

• Former quarry worked by monks of Citeaux Abbey
• Name likely derived from poiriers, the French word for pear trees
• Monopole owned exclusively by Domaine Henri Gouges
• Origin site of the Pinot Gouges white mutation, propagated in the early to mid 20th century

One of the most remarkable aspects of Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges is its role in the discovery of Pinot Gouges, a white-berried mutation of Pinot Noir. Henri Gouges identified and propagated this mutation from vines growing within this vineyard during the early to mid 20th century, and Domaine Henri Gouges continues to produce a rare white Nuits-Saint-Georges from this variety. Pinot Gouges is not the same as Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris; it is a distinct mutation found almost exclusively in the Gouges estate. This makes Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges uniquely significant in the broader story of Burgundian viticulture, as both a top red Premier Cru site and the genetic source of an exceptionally rare white variety.

• Pinot Gouges is a white-berried mutation of Pinot Noir, not Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris
• Identified and propagated by Henri Gouges in the early to mid 20th century
• Domaine Henri Gouges still produces a white Nuits-Saint-Georges from Pinot Gouges
• Found almost exclusively within the Gouges estate

Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges produces medium to full-bodied red wines from Pinot Noir with firm tannins and a pronounced mineral backbone derived from the limestone-rich soils. Black fruit flavors dominate: blackberry, dark cherry, and currant form the core, supported by earthy and mineral notes. The firm structure and concentration of fruit give these wines genuine aging potential. As a monopole Premier Cru from one of Burgundy's most respected estates, the wines represent a consistent, site-specific expression that allows comparison across vintages without producer variation as a variable.

Domaine Henri Gouges holds the monopole on Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges, meaning all wine produced from this vineyard bears the Gouges label. The domaine is one of the benchmark estates in Nuits-Saint-Georges and holds a historically significant position in Burgundy for both the quality of its red wines and the preservation and propagation of the Pinot Gouges mutation. The monopole status gives the Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges a clarity of identity rare among Burgundian Premier Crus, where most lieux-dits are divided among multiple producers.