2009 Domaine des Poulettes "Les Vallerots" - Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru - 3 Bottles (0.75L)

Les Vaucrains is one of the most highly regarded Premier Cru vineyards in the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation. The climat sits on the hill above the Les Saint-Georges Premier Cru site which – in the absence of any Grand Cru vineyards – is considered one of the best, if not the best, in the appellation.

The 6.2 hectare (15.3 acre) site is on the steep, upper slope of the Côte d'Or, just below the line on the famous escarpment where vineyard becomes forest. The premier cru vineyards of Les Chaboeufs and Chaines Carteaux lie to the north and south respectively.

This part of the Côte, halfway between the Nuits-Saint-Georges and Premeaux-Prissey villages, is also home to several of the appellation's best vineyards, of which Les Vaucrains is one. Les Saint-Georges and Les Cailles on the hill immediately below Les Vaucrains also boast terroir of a particularly high quality.

Les Vaucrains' position at the top of the hill means that the calcareous soil is quite rocky here, as the process of erosion has sent much of the smaller material down the hill. The lack of water in this free-draining soil makes for concentrated berries, and a small amount of clay in the soil contributes weight to the finished wine.

The French term "vaucrains" refers to the infertility of the soil: a situation that has long been associated with viticulture.

The climat sits at the edge of a gentle valley cut into the Côte d'Or, so parts of the slope – which faces mainly toward the east – have more of a northerly aspect (Les Poulettes is on the other side of this valley, facing slightly south).

This means that while a large portion of the vineyard has plentiful sunlight to ripen berries, there are cooler microclimates within this, and vignerons can use grapes from different parts of the vineyard to achieve their own expressions.

Les Vaucrains Premier Cru wines are sought-after expressions of Nuits-Saint-Georges, and several noted producers make wine under the designation. This includes Henri Gouges, Jean Chauvenet and Alain Michelot.