Tasting 112×2006 in bottle

Update 13.8.2017(8.12.2008)billn

112 wines from the 2006 vintage tasted over 8 days, plus one interloping 2005 – 80% were poured by their makers. Clearly for the vast majority of these I did not drink the whole bottle, otherwise the powers that be would have already rejected the need for a pointless post-mortem. That said, I think they are useful as all the wines have been in bottle for 6-12 months and are exactly as you would take delivery now – rather than the inexactitude that comes with barrel-tasting notes sometime during the elevage.

Ignoring particular wines, I take from this the relative consistencies of the vintage: Reds are medium coloured, predominatly with high-toned, sometimes floral aromatics. Reasonable structure and good acidity. Typically not the depth of their counterparts from 2005, though taking that vintage as an aberation, a very successful vintage in the scheme of things. The whites are somewhat under-represented in this list – only 25 wines – and I think the result here is slightly better than you might get with more producers. The worst of 2006 is not really represented here, however, need for a little more acidity is clear for some of these wines, and if Domaine Leflaive didn’t really get it right…
  

Six mixed wines to start

2006 Bruno Colin, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeot Blanctry to find this wine...
Medium yellow colour. Deep fruit with an edge of creamy brioche. Fills the mouth with rich, but not too rich flavours. Lovely creamy fruit in the mid-palate. Below sixty francs this is almost good value.
2006 Jayer-Gilles, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuitstry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose offers slightly diffuse width and a little toffee. Plenty of tannin and acidity. The bouncy fruit is almost good actually but I’d wait 1-2 years before revisiting for maybe a more balanced performance.
2006 Lejeune, Pommard 1er Argillièrestry to find this wine...
Medium ruby-red. Ripe and sweet, almost baked red fruit aromas. Soft with plenty of tannin, just a little astringent, but the fruit below has nice complexity and length. at a ‘mere’ 45 francs this is really super value.
2006 Chauvenet-Chopin, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Murgerstry to find this wine...
Medium-plus colour. A very fine nose of focused fruit and super width. Lots of structure here, the tannin is ripe enough. A good dark fruit dimension. This certainly needs time, but it’s a good bottle.
2006 Alain Michelot, Nuits St.Georges 1er Champs-Perdrixtry to find this wine...
Medium-plus cherry-red. High-tones underpinned with medium-toast oak. Lots of dark fruit against plenty of structure. A wine with lots of interest and needing some cellar time – seems just a little shorter than some.
2006 Cornu, Cortontry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Width, density and poise, really super fruit on the nose. Fine tannin coats good fruit. Fades just a little faster than expected in the finish, but this is a very polished package.

  

Marquis d’Angerville

Lovely wines – I’d quite simply buy any of them – despite the price of the Ducs (118 francs) there is still value there.

2006 Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1ertry to find this wine...
Made from 2 parcels of vines. Medium colour. Wide with a nice depth of creamy red fruit. Medium bodied with a very good extension of flavour in the mid-palate. Nice acidity / tannin balance. I like this very much.
2006 Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Fremiettry to find this wine...
A little darker colour. The nose is deeper but less wide. Likewise on the palate there’s just a little more structure and depth, but less width. Good length though.
2006 Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Champanstry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour – like the Fremiet. The nose is like a blend of the previous two wines with a little extra high-toned dimension. Deep and forceful. The tannin remains a background element. Dark fruit and very long.
2006 Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Clos des Ducstry to find this wine...
Like all these wines, just 20% new oak is used during elevage. A wider and finer nose that is edged with some caramel depth. In the mouth this is a little more austere and mouth-filling. Fine acidity and concentration. A super dark length penetrates the tongue. Eventually a haunting red note on the nose – class, expensive, but class!

  

Denis Bachelet

Only two wines, but (wie immer) good ones.

2006 Denis Bachelet, Côtes de Nuits Villagestry to find this wine...
From 1952 vines. Medium, medium-plus colour. Pure and focused red fruit – it’s a fine nose. Soft and silky, perhaps less ripe than some – the tannin has some astringency, but the overall package is very good.
2006 Denis Bachelet, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er, Corbeauxtry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is a little more diffuse than the Fourrier Goulots that precedes it, but has a little extra coffee dimension. Good concentration, plush but plenty of tannin clings to your gums, a little astringent too. Nigh high-toned fruit. Will need longer in the cellar than the Goulots but has plenty of potential.

  

Roger Belland

Julie Belland was pouring the wines – and very nice wines they were too from this large 24 hectare domaine. I bought some of these to add to the ones I also bought from 2005. Merely conjecture, but I wonder if they supplied Nicolas Potel with his 06 Criots, because this is just as outrageous as his that I tasted in January.

2006 Roger Belland, Bourgogne Rougetry to find this wine...
Medium colour. High-toned and faintly estery, but not in a bad way. In the mouth there’s good concentration for a regional wine, delivering a slightly structured wine that I can easily recommend. I bought some.
2006 Roger Belland, Santenay-Comme 1er Crutry to find this wine...
Medium ruby-red. The red fruit on the nose shows more depth than for the bourgogne. This is certainly a mouth-filler, it’s not elegant but it provides an exciting ride into a decent finish. Rustic, but great fun.
2006 Roger Belland, Santenay-Beauregard 1er Crutry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Higher-toned aromatics, again with a red fruit dimension. In the mouth this is a little more controlled, but there’s still plenty of action, including a burst of interest in the mid-palate before fading into the finish.
2006 Roger Belland, Santenay-Gravières 1er Crutry to find this wine...
Medium colour. A ripe strawberry nose. Just another extra edge of refinement but without loss of intensity. This really clings to the side of your mouth and lingers impressively. I bought some.
2006 Roger Belland, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeottry to find this wine...
Medium colour. The nose is rather understated, but very well-knit. Again we step up in elegance despite some grain to the tannin. Very respectable finishing . a very nice wine.
2006 Roger Belland, Bourgogne Chardonnaytry to find this wine...
Opens with sweet, candied fruit aromas and almost a little baked apple. Generously fills your mouth with sweet, slightly baked fruit – nice but not really classic.
2006 Roger Belland, Santenay-Beauregard 1er Cru Blanctry to find this wine...
This shows a dense and concentrated nose, part of that concentration is a mineral aspect. Intense in the mouth with good acidity. This displays a super mid-palate and length, you’d never guess Santenay, it’s quite ‘big’ but lovely.
2006 Roger Belland, Criots-Bâtard Montrachettry to find this wine...
The nose instantly shows that you get what you pay for; a superb extra dimension of fruit, broad but not clumsy, it’s fantastic. In the mouth it’s concentrated, even slightly heavy but never cloying. A super-intense mid-palate and achingly long. Wow. Outrageously boisterous and full-packed, even at 198 francs a bottle you could be forgiven for popping one of these already…

  

Bonneau du Martray

Unfortunately I missed out on the Charlemagne, but the red was a very nice bottle if you ignore the price.

2006 Bonneau du Martray, Cortontry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Understated, fine, relatively high-toned aromatics with powdery red fruits. Executively textured – it’s very silky – very good concentration. Topped by an understated but very lingering finish. Very good but the tariff is a little high.

  

Daniel Bocquenet

Plenty of dark oak in these wines, but they are very characterful, interesting and enjoyable.

2006 Bocquenet, Nuits St.Georges Aux St.Julienstry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Understated yet broad notes on the nose, some estery hints though quite interesting. Your mouth fills with soft and ripe but well-covered tannin. There’s plenty of interest here, even a twist of licorice – this is really tasty wine.
2006 Bocquenet, Echézeauxtry to find this wine...
Medium-plus colour. High-toned and faintly medicinal aromas. In the mouth it’s soft and concentrated with an excellent undertow of structure. Super dimension in the mid-palate – it will need plenty of cellar time for the dark oak to fade with the tannin, but it’s very good.

  

Bruno Clair

I remember the 2005’s at the same stage seemed very tannic, but these wines had a great balance. Bruno has certainly pushed up his prices in the last vintages, but they are very good.

2006 Bruno Clair, Marsannay Les Vaudenellestry to find this wine...
Medium colour. High-toned, pretty aromatics. Manages to fill your mouth with good concentration and slow to arrive, slightly astringent tannin. Super length, a very pretty wine.
2006 Bruno Clair, Morey St.Denis En la rue de Vergytry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Wide aromatics that are fine and backed with a little caramel and good depth. Fresh, fine and beautifully put together. Lovely length and the tannin shows itself here too with a little grab. Super but clearly young.
2006 Bruno Clair, Vosne-Romanée Les Champs Perdrixtry to find this wine...
From 70 year-old vines in the south of Vosne. A bright medium, medium-plus colour. High-toned though aromatically rather tight. Good concentration of beautiful fruit – this is lovely. Slowly fading length – super.
2006 Bruno Clair, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos St.Jacquestry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Also rather tight but there’s a more caramel depth surrounding the tight core of glossy fruit. The structure initially seems completely separate to the fruit – then both come together perfectly. This super wine is clearly vin de garde material, so keep it in the cellar for a few years.
2006 Bruno Clair, Chambertin Clos de Bèzetry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Tight again – hard to get at the aromas. In the mouth I think it lacks a little focus, but the dimension and complexity are easy to see. Less obviously forward and ‘brusque’ as the Clos St.Jacques, but the finish goes on and on…

  

Pierre Damoy

Only two wines from opposite ends of the hierarchy but both are very ‘worthy’.

2006 Pierre Damoy, Bourgognetry to find this wine...
Quite deep colour. The nose shows floral tones and a nice depth. In the mouth there’s width and good acidity to go with the faint, furry tannins and a suggestion of dark oak. An excellent Bourgogne.
2006 Pierre Damoy, Chapelle-Chambertintry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Wide with lovely, slightly floral high tones and super-focused fruit. It fills your mouth with super-fine tannin and a number of dimensions of lovely fruit. Lingers beautifully. This is a ‘hit’!

  

Gros Frère et Seour

I find GF&S can be a little soupy – mainly from the oak treatment, but as you go up the hierarchy in 2006 they really do deliver some quality.

2006 Gros F & S, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuitstry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Forward, slightly savoury fruit aromas and a tough estery. Medium concentration with some obvious barrel notes. Reasonable length. Okay, but the oak treatment leaves this slightly ‘soupy’.
2006 Gros F & S, Vosne-Romanéetry to find this wine...
A forward nose of some depth – coffee notes and red fruit with a savoury edge. Good texture and concentration. Smooth with good length. A good villages Vosne.
2006 Gros F & S, Clos de Vougeot ‘Musigni’try to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Less forward aromatics, but more complex, mixing earth, coffee and red fruits. Mouth-filling structure though the tannin doesn’t overwhelm. There is a sneaky extra dimension of power and fruit in the mid-palate. Some barrel influence on the finish. This is actually very good!

  

Domaine Fourrier

Two wines, and I have very high expectations for Jean-Marie’s bottles so there was a trace of disappointment that they didn’t show even more, but both are worthy of cellar space.

2006 Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignestry to find this wine...
Vines from 1928. Medium, medium-plus colour. Wide and high-toned with quite floral, complex notes. Well-covered structure, remaining understated until it reaches the mid-palate and on into the finish where there is plenty of fine and complex fruit.
2006 Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Goulots Vieilles Vignestry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. High-toned fruit that’s nicely intense. In the mouth there’s some fat and good ripe fruit intensity. Slightly grainy tannin. It widens to provide many dimensions and some tannin clinging to your mouth. Lingers very well. Very good.

  

Domaine Guyon

Although occasional wines show some estery elements, I’ve never had a bad wine from this domaine – that said, they do have a premium price.

2006 Guyon, Bourgogne Pinot Noirtry to find this wine...
Bright, medium colour. The nose offers up, wide, high-toned glossy red fruit. Understated concentration yet it seems to grow in the mouth. The fruit is perhaps a hint estery, but it will be impressive to drink young.
2006 Guyon, Chorey-lès-Beaune Les Bons Orestry to find this wine...
The colour is a little more ruby-red. The nose shows more obvious estery notes. In the mouth this is clearly more refined but, somehow, less exciting than the Bourgogne. It slowly widens in the mouth and actually does show a little more verve. I’d probably still buy the Bourgogne ahead of this.
2006 Guyon, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Peuilletstry to find this wine...
Medium colour. The nose is rather understated, I would even say tight, just faint red fruit with floral hints. Ripe, smooth fruit grows in intensity across your tongue and into the mid-palate. Almost good this.
2006 Guyon, Nuits St.Georges Aux Herbuestry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Also rather tight yet floral – perhaps a hint of caramel. Good texture and concentration. Only slowly the tannin reveals itself. Good dimension and length. Nice Nuits.
2006 Guyon, Vosne-Romanéetry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Not very forward but there’s a slighly spicy gingerbread note overlaying red fruit. Concentrated and ripe. Good in the mid-palate and length. Few words but a very nice wine.
2006 Guyon, Vosne-Romanée Les Charmes de Mazièrestry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Still rather understated aromatics, but this smells lovely (I didn’t write why!). Ripe and mouth-filling with a sneaky extra dimension in the middle and very interesting length. Pricy, but super.
2006 Guyon, Aloxe-Corton 1er Les Gueretstry to find this wine...
Medium colour. The most floral of these. In the mouth this is a more obviously structured but balanced wine of quite a red-fruit complexion. Good length. Frankly too expensive for Aloxe despite its quality. (78 francs)
2006 Guyon, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Brûléestry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. High tones that are backed by faint caramel and a faintly spicy undertow. Certainly more concentration and dimension – lots of wine here – much complexity and very good length. This is super, only the price spoils the party. (110 francs)
2006 Guyon, Vosne-Romanée 1er En Orveauxtry to find this wine...
Medium colour. More open and spicy than the Brùlées with more caramel over slightly blurred red fruits. More punch and mid-palate concentration. Super balance and length – what’s not to love? Maybe the same price as the Brûlées…
2006 Guyon, Echézeauxtry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-pale colour. A lovely, wide nose of spice, caramel and fruit. The texture is not particularly sophisticated, but the concentration and dimension are super. Clearly overpriced, but super wine (158 francs)
2005 Guyon, Gevrey-Chambertin Platièrestry to find this wine...
A 2005 benchmark. Medium colour. Earthy and sweet with caramel and mineral aspects. Concentrated with plenty of structure, though not the mid-palate dimension and complexity of finish of the Echézeaux. Super villages though and relatively fairly priced at 59 francs.

  

Lechéneaut

A decent, slightly above average performance from these wines – certainly they are much better as you head up the appellations.

2006 Lechéneaut, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuitstry to find this wine...
Medium cherry-red colour. A wide and fresh nose though limited depth. Faint tannin, overall quite well put together, but overall I find it a little anonymous.
2006 Lechéneaut, Morey St.Denistry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose offers up mineral and earth notes with dark fruit – it’s very nice. Linear in the mouth before widening into a good finish. It’s complex and quite interesting.
2006 Lechéneaut, Gevrey-Chambertintry to find this wine...
Medium colour. A little dark oak and sweet cherry width. Ripe and well structured though it seems a little simple before the good finish.
2006 Lechéneaut, Nuits St.Georges Les Damodestry to find this wine...
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. Braod and high-toned aromas. It’s a mouth-filling wine – you know it’s there! Structured but balanced, with a dark personality. Quite impressive.
2006 Lechéneaut, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Prulierstry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Slightly roast, dark fruit on the nose. Plush and maybe a little mineral, but the well-covered structure dove-tails to decent fruit. A very nice burst of interest before a medium finish. Quite fun.

  

Domaine Leflaive

Poured by Pierre Morey. The Pucelles is fantastic, the rest I find nearly ‘good’ – that’s not good enough from this domaine, and that’s before looking at the prices asked. Pucelles aside, not even close to being a ‘standout’ for the vintage – where is the energy here?

2006 Leflaive, Bourgognetry to find this wine...
High-toned with plenty of action – it’s quite pretty. There’s a mineral aspect to the flavours, decent acidity and length. Not worth the tariff, but a decent wine.
2006 Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachettry to find this wine...
Another high-toned nose. In your mouth there’s a little more width and interest if not concentration compared to the bourgogne. The length is certainly on a higher level. A very nice wine for sure, but needs more brio.
2006 Leflaive, Meursault 1er Sous le Dos d’Ânetry to find this wine...
These are young vines – 2002 – this is when the pinot was ripped from the vineyard to be replaced by chardonnay. There’s a little more brioche to the nose, also a little more depth. Whilst there is more complexity than the village Puligny, I’d still prefer a lick more of acidity. Perhaps longer finishing but I prefer the flavour of the Puligny finish. For something that, ion this vintage, is only a little better than many villages cuvées, the price is a bit of a joke at 108 francs – the stunning Pierre Morey Perrières only costs 110…
2006 Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clavoillontry to find this wine...
An understated and fine nose, again with a little more brioche. Complex and intense in the mid-palate, but again a so little acidity…
2006 Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Folatièrestry to find this wine...
Wide and perhaps a little diffuse versus the Clavoillon. More concentration and perhaps it’s a little more vibrant than the Clavoillon, though the finish on this is much more understated. Nice, but I want much more for 145 francs…
2006 Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Pucellestry to find this wine...
The nose here is gorgeous – a little understated maybe – high-toned fruit wrapped in a soft coating, but lovely. In the mouth finally we have a wine with the correct balance of concentration and acidity – it’s really excellent. Head and shoulders above the previous wines though still a laughable 169 francs.
2006 Leflaive, Bienvenues-Bâtard Montrachettry to find this wine...
Still high-toned, but the nose is more fruit-driven with this wine, over a creamy base but integration could be a little better. Concentrated, flavourful and intense fruit. Very long too, but where’s the acidity to make it sing?

  

Lucie & Auguste Lignier

A pretty new label for 2006 for two pretty wines.

2006 LA Lignier, Chambolle-Musigny Les Bussièrestry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose has dark fruits and a caramel dimension. Ripe, with nice velvet tannin and ‘just right’ acidity. A good finish – quite nice this.
2006 LA Lignier, Morey St.Denis 1er Cuvée Romain Ligniertry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose was rather tight. Ripe fruit seems to sit above the tannin and acidity. There’s a nice burst of interest in the mid-palate, but the wine remains very understated – apart from the excellent, very long finish.

  

Moillard-Grivot

I’m not sure what’s happening with this domaine/maison since the Béjot acquisition, but these wines date from the time of the cooperation with Bernard Zito and Pascal Marchand, though they are not domaine cuvées. There is anyway some improvement as, over the years, I’ve tended to dislike their whites, but these are okay.

2006 Moillard-Grivot, Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanctry to find this wine...
Wide and high-toned, perhaps a little diffuse, but not bad. Plenty of punch and freshness. The fruit has a slightly baked aspect but it’s fresh enough – the finish is decently long too.
2006 Moillard-Grivot, Meursault 1er Charmestry to find this wine...
Medium yellow. A more intense core of fucused fruit on the nose. There is an extra layer of fat on the texture and it’s not lacking acidity. It needs a little more mid-palate dimension but it’s far from ponderous and there’s good length too.

  

Marc Morey

I would say that these are a ‘steady’ bunch of wines. Nothing jumped out at me to make me think – wow – but all are well made and decently concentrated.

2006 Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeottry to find this wine...
Medium colour. The nose is a little higher toned than the Roger Belland cuvée. In the mouth the tannin is on a higher level and to a certain extent dominates the pretty fruit. Good length, but certainly needs cellar time.
2006 Marc Morey, Bourgogne Blanctry to find this wine...
Mainly high tones from this pretty and fine nose. Seems well concentrated – there’s plenty of wine here – but it has a slightly ‘raw’ aspect to it. Decent length, but I think it’s some way behind Pierre Morey’s Bourgogne which is also slightly cheaper.
2006 Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachettry to find this wine...
More depth and intensity to the nose – again very pretty. Across your tongue this is much more refined than the bourgogne, also high-toned fruit. This is very nice wine.
2006 Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeot Blanctry to find this wine...
This is the first of the range that shows a rather tight nose. The palate is wide open though, it’s soft with very pretty and intense fruit. Another nice wine.
2006 Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Virondot Blanctry to find this wine...
More open and just a little savoury edge to the dood, high-toned fruit. Concentrated and more intense than the Morgeot, but as a package I preferred the previous wine.
2006 Marc Morey, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Pucellestry to find this wine...
Slightly diffuse aromas. In the mouth it’s understated but shows good texture and a super burst of mid-palate interest. Very nice despite medium (for Pucelles) length. The quality needs to be higher for 98 francs per bottle though.
2006 Marc Morey, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Refertstry to find this wine...
Not a very common appellation. High tones, not the finest, but interesting and fresh. Fresh but slightly diffuse flavours, that do become ‘more together’ in the glass. A super burst in the mid-palate before a good finish. Almost good this.

  

Pierre Morey

It’s the first time I met Pierre, and what a lovely, quietly spoken man, and super wines to boot. Both his Bourgogne Rouge and Blanc are first-class – I bought both – but the rest of his reds, despite super appellations miss a little excitement. His whites are top-class though, watch out for the superb Perrières, I also treated myself to a few of those…

2006 Pierre Morey, Bourgogne Pinot Noirtry to find this wine...
Medium colour. High-toned, slightly mineral nose under-pinned with very nice fruit. Ripe, tasty and clean with good concentration and plenty of energy and dimension. Excellent regional.
2006 Pierre Morey, Meursault Les Durotstry to find this wine...
Medium colour. The nose is pretty tight. In the mouth there’s plenty of structure but it’s balanced by good fruit and late appearing but quite fine tannin. Good length and quite interesting.
2006 Pierre Morey, Volnay 1er Santenotstry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Very faint reduction plus higher tones, in the middle is a layer of tight fruit. Ripe flavours with understated tannin. The fruit is quite intense, but I expect a little more for the appellation. Good length though.
2006 Pierre Morey, Pommard 1er Grands Epenotstry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. This nose is also rather tight but there seems more depth to the fruit. Structured and intense, the lingering fruit flavours are lovely. Needs cellar time for sure, but it’s a good bottle.
2006 Pierre Morey, Bourgogne Chardonnaytry to find this wine...
High-toned aromas, quite intense, a little estery note somewhere, but overall fine depth. Quite rich, the acidity is just enough to balance, but the depth is superb for the appellation. Really fine.
2006 Pierre Morey, Meursaulttry to find this wine...
Wide with very faint brioche – lovely understated nose. Concentrated with good acidity, this is a very nice example indeed. The finish lingers very well. Super.
2006 Pierre Morey (Morey-Blanc), Meursault 1er Gouttes d’Ortry to find this wine...
High-toned and perhaps a shade diffuse, but really lovely fruit underpins it – super. Rich but balanced and is full of mid-palate dimension. Nice length and lovely – again.
2006 Pierre Morey, Meursault 1er Les Perrièrestry to find this wine...
It’s an understated but very fine nose – really lovely focus to the fruit. Concentrated texture – though not oily – beautiful acid balance and flavours that hold on for an age. This is a zen-like wine, you could lose yourself in a busy room while sipping it – I did. Superb.

  

Thierry Mortet

Like Guyon, an unheralded producer of super wines, not the cheapest, but reasonable value.

2006 Thierry Mortet, Bourgogne Rougetry to find this wine...
Medium colour. A lovely unforced and rather precocious pinot nose. Also the fruit on the palate is surprisingly vibrant and pure. This is very enjoyable.
2006 Thierry Mortet, Gevrey-Chambertintry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is a little mineral, but quite tight. Fresh, with pretty fruit and understated structure. The length is almost good. A fine 2006.
2006 Thierry Mortet, Gevrey-Chambertin, Vigne Belletry to find this wine...
Medium ruby rather than cherry-red. The nose is very tight, a few high tones but little else. In the mouth this is nicely fresh with more intensity and dimension than the ‘basic’ villages. Plenty of structure – will need a few years ‘rest’ in the cellar – it’s very good.
2006 Thierry Mortet, Chambolle-Musigny, Vigne Belletry to find this wine...
Medium colour with an understated, indeed tight nose. This fills the mouth with both flavour and well anchored tannin. Slowly lingering. This is a balanced and high-quality villages.
2006 Thierry Mortet, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Beaux-Brunstry to find this wine...
Medium colour. This wine is also a little closed, but higher-tones mix with some minerality. Less tightly knit than the villages but with more concentration and dimension. Will be very nice, but I suggest some patience.

  

Domaine Henri Perrot-Minot

I’ve only really appraised for myself the 05 and 06 vintages from this domaine, so I’ve missed the experimentation that I’m sure went on in previous vintages, however, the ones I’ve tasted have been frankly superb. I understand the prices they can command, but I’ll play elsewhere…

2006 Perrot-Minot, Bourgognetry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Not so wide, but has an interesting linear depth – fine and clean. Good concentration with ripe fruit and an understated structure. Quite nice.
2006 Perrot-Minot, Chambolle-Musignytry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Lovely width on the nose, sensual and very pretty. High-toned fruit in the mouth, structured and very, very tasty. Really lingers – this is a rare villages wine that’s close to 2005 quality.
2006 Perrot-Minot, Vosne-Romanéetry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is higher-toned than the Chambolle and has many dimensions – very impressive. Ripe but fresh fruit and super balance. Lovely.
2006 Perrot-Minot, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Beaux Montstry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Once more, many dimensions open up on the nose – perhaps a little cola too, but I won’t hold that against it right now! Less obviously ripe than the villages cuvée but there’s super, mouth-filling concentration and a background of tannin that for a while comes more center-stage. Super, but 156 francs…
2006 Perrot-Minot, Nuits St.Georges 1er La Richemonetry to find this wine...
Medium-plus colour. A deep, more darkly-fruited nose that’s overlaid with some higher, faintly alcoholic notes. This is definitely a wine of structure, bathed in tannin but not so it’s overwhelmed. It’s a real mouthful, but it’s also rather good.
2006 Perrot-Minot, Charmes-Chambertintry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Open, with sweet oaky elements and rather fainter fruit. Concentrated, with decently textured structure – there’s lots of wine here, but despite a great finish I’d like a hint more acidity/freshness.
2006 Perrot-Minot, Chapelle-Chambertintry to find this wine...
A little more ruby-coloured than previous wines. A sweet nose with mocha/caramel. Again there is undoubted concentration, but this time wrapped with a nicer freshness. Long and very impressive wine – super.
2006 Perrot-Minot, Mazoyères-Chambertintry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Again the same caramel as the last wines – which is disappointing – but this time on a lower level and overlaid by pretty higher tones. Here the structure and concentration show in a more obvious manner, but the wine is intense and essentially fresh. Very impressive if not yet ‘comely’.
2006 Perrot-Minot, Chambertintry to find this wine...
No dark monster this – merely medium colour. The nose is different this time – good! – it’s mainly fruit that is focused yet still complex and very round – wow. Maybe there are some toasted barrel flavours, but this wine is wide, complex and concentrated. Frankly, everything that a Chambertin should be – super.

  

Pousse d’Or

Two ripe an very tasty wines.

2006 Pousse d’Or, Volnay 1er Clos d’Audignactry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Rather tight aromas, but with baked red fruit that reminds me of my 1993 Audignacs. Whilst balanced and reasonably structured, you have to wait for the mid-palate and finish to get some excitement – but here there’s plenty of action and complexity. A nice wine.
2006 Pousse d’Or, Corton Clos du Roitry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Ripe red fruit is backed by a little darker oak. The fruit gives a slightly roast impression but the structure and the finish are very good. Very good.

  

Armand Rousseau

Whilst the 2005’s didn’t really turn me on as much as some other people – buttery smooth just didn’t seem right – despite the relatively pale colours, these wines suited me much better. We all know that they have been working hard on the Clos de la Roche cuvée, but has it paid off now? It’s the first time I can think of where they showed it after the Ruchottes. The range was already close to sold-out before I tasted.

2006 Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertintry to find this wine...
Medium-pale colour. Wide and high-toned aromas that are a little diffuse cover a tighter core of fruit. Whilst this is rather elegant, there is a beautiful depth to the fruit – a clear ‘buy’ despite the 69 franc tariff – long finishing and lovely.
2006 Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Lavaux St.Jacquestry to find this wine...
Again, medium-pale colour. A very ‘together’ if understated nose. Less obviously effusive in the mouth versus the villages, but there is an added mineral aspect. Super length, but today you’ll find more to enjoy in the villages.
2006 Armand Rousseau, Charmes-Chambertintry to find this wine...
Medium-pale colour. Lovely breadth and focus to the mainly red fruit, a creamy aspect too. In the mouth it’s fresh and has good dimension and complexity. Long finishing in a surprisingly mineral (for Charmes) way. Lovely
2006 Armand Rousseau, Clos des Ruchottestry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Wide, seamless aromatics – super. In the mouth this is fresh and fine, underpinned with fine tannin. The finish is quite subtle, but just goes on and on – my type of wine.
2006 Armand Rousseau, Clos de la Rochetry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Again, super and almost seamless aromatics – this cuvée keeps getting better. Intense, yet comfortably textured. There is a step-up in the mid-palate that holds for quite some time before lingering in the finish. This is super.

  

Jean Tardy

Three wines, it’s a slow start but the premiers were real eye-openers – easy rebuys….

2006 Jean Tardy, Chambolle-Musigny Les Athetstry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. Mainly soft red fruit aromas though a hint of darker fruit too. In the mouth it’s a little tight, compact and little obvious structure. It grows in the mid-palte though, before finishing as fast as it appeared.
2006 Jean Tardy, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Chaumestry to find this wine...
Spicy, high-toned fruit, and very focused fruit on the rather classy nose. Ripe, strucured and complex – tannin that clings to your lips. Slowly lingering, this is a big surprise, it’s excellent and over-achieves for Chaumes.
2006 Jean Tardy, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Boudotstry to find this wine...
Medium-plus colour. Red-black fruit that is quite high-toned. Great texture with velvet but not astringent tannin. Lots of dimension. The ‘just right’ acidity lets the flavour linger. This is also very good

  

Tollot-Beaut

Nathalie Tollot showed her usual high-quality range. They normally need a couple of years in the cellar to suck up the majority of their oak treatment, but they almost always deliver the goods. The prices are above average, but then so are the wines – no complaints there.

2006 Tollot-Beaut, Bourgognetry to find this wine...
The nose impresses with its width and some creamy depth too. Nicely covers the palate – a little structure and nice balance. Good length – a very tasty bourgogne.
2006 Tollot-Beaut, Chorey-lès-Beaune Pièce du Chapitretry to find this wine...
A little more depth, and certainly finer. The structure is relatively buried and there’s a nice burst of interest on the mid-palate and into the finish. Very good.
2006 Tollot-Beaut, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Champs-Cheverytry to find this wine...
Medium colour. A high-toned and floral nose backed with a creamy edge. Sweet fruit with good concentration and a very nice acid/tannin balance. Good length – as usual I like this.
2006 Tollot-Beaut, Aloxe-Cortontry to find this wine...
The nose is less effusive than the Champs-Chevery, though perhaps deeper. In the mouth there’s good concentration though the fruit is less obviously ripe as the last wine. Good balanced and a great finish.
2006 Tollot-Beaut, Corton-Bressandestry to find this wine...
A wide yet understated nose of delicate, lovely fruit and a floral, violet notes. Understated entry but there’s concentration here and it’s great in the mid-palate. The structure is far from dominant and the finish seams rather intense and creamy – really lovely.
2006 Tollot-Beaut, Beaune 1er Clos du Roitry to find this wine...
Shown after the Corton as it’s much riper. High-toned aromas that are more forceful, still floral but also a little estery. Ripe with velvet tannin and good length. Simpler after the Corton, but hardly less forceful. Good wine.

  

Maison Verget

Only two wines but tasty and delivering plenty for the price of most Bourgogne Blancs

2006 Verget, Mâcon-Bussières VV Vignes de Montbrisontry to find this wine...
A little green fruit and darkert faint oak. Understaed in the mouth, some sweetness but then builds with enough acidity to help it linger well. Very nice.
2006 Verget, St.Véran Châtaignierstry to find this wine...
Deeper and a little tighter nose. Very pretty this wine, there’s a little more acidity and nice intensity.

  

Comte Georges de Vogüé

Jean-Luc Pepin was his usual bundle of energy and enthusiasm – and why not – the wines showed very well. He even chided me that I had not visited the domaine for ages; so six days later I surprised him by knocking on his door – only to say hello! As mentioned, all the wines showed well, but on price/performance I would jump on the ‘short-pants’ version of the Musigny – the Chambolle 1er cru ticks all my boxes. Perhaps it’s because the young grand crus sometimes offer ‘too much’ in terms of concentration, so the 1er – it’s still young-vine Musigny remember – is just right. I still reserve the right to prefer the grand crus when they are 30 years old though! Jean-Luc rightly served the 2005 Musigny before the Bonnes-Mares last year, and I ended up buying some Bonnes-Mares despite the tarif. This year, normal order was restored. De Vogüé wines have never been cheap, but I have the impression that they were much more affordable for the 1998-2001 vintages.

2006 Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musignytry to find this wine...
Medium colour. High-toned, very red fruit-driven aromatics with a subtle creamy undertow. The aromas as the glass empties are of super-focused red berry. This is actually impressively concentrated with excellent dimensions of flavour. Whilst clearly an ‘executive’ villages, I can’t bring myself to spend 110 francs a bottle for a villages – I’d go for Clos des Ducs at the same price
2006 Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Crutry to find this wine...
Medium colour. Fine and very complex aromatics – very lovely mix of fruit(s) and faint torrefaction. Intense, plenty of velvet tannin and great dimension in the mid-palate. The flavour lingers really well. I seem to ‘click’ with this in most vintages, and frankly, this is almost worth the price of entry, even at 185 francs!
2006 Comte Georges de Vogüé, Bonnes-Marestry to find this wine...
The nose is a little spicy, yet at the core mineral too – less fruit-driven than the previous wines. Lots of fresh dimension and concentration in the mouth. The flavour keeps building long after you swallow – very long finishing. Excellent, just don’t mention the price.
2006 Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Vieilles Vignestry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus colour. Initially not quite the intensity of aroma as the previous wines, but certainly it’s very complex – remains fine, but it becomes ever-more precise in the glass. This wine really delivers. Your mouth is filled with so many dimensions. There’s a slight rasp to the tannin, but it’s just part of the experience. Super, and no spitting.

Leave a Reply to Mark GoughCancel reply

There are 7 responses to “Tasting 112×2006 in bottle”

  1. Hartmut, Munich8th December 2008 at 4:15 pmPermalinkReply

    Dear Bill,

    it was a pleasure meeting you in Zurich at the Gerstl tasting. I am glad to see that you were as impressed by Morey’s Perríères as our group had been – what a stunning 2006!!

    A very helpful recap of the 2006s overall – even though I have been less impressed by the reds than by the whites overall…

    Just one question: Why are you still quoting prices in FF? I would find it a bit more helpful if even Burgundy eventually switched to Euros. ;-))

    Again, many thanks for your notes and kindest regards from Munich,
    Hartmut

    • billn8th December 2008 at 4:29 pmPermalinkReply

      Hi Hartmut – my pleasure too!
      You know, Euro-land may one day take up the Swiss franc…
      😉

  2. Mark Gough9th December 2008 at 12:03 amPermalinkReply

    Absolutely mouth watering stuff Bill, many thanks !! I need a lottery win or something.

    Delighted to read your first time impression of Pierre Morey – mine entirely. Can still remember his 06’s at J&B’s London tasting last January. The Tessons 06 was the stunner to me then & my WOTN. Denis Bachelet is another very likeable guy from a past visit & excellent winemaker imho – must get some more of his wines. Not seen him for years. Must call next time en Bourgogne. Damoy is another on my must try ‘list’, whom not all folk seem to rate hence I was interested in your views there.

    Any plans for London Jan 07 ? Mail me off line ?

  3. Mark Gough9th December 2008 at 12:04 amPermalinkReply

    Ooops, too late – meant London Jan 09 for the 07 vintage tastings but hope you’d guess that.

  4. Adrian Latimer13th January 2009 at 12:48 pmPermalinkReply

    Bill,
    Great website, many thanks.
    One (or two) quick questions – as the top Burgundies are difficult to find and even more so to afford, I tend to end up with the odd bottle here or there, which makes it pretty critical to get the ‘when to drink’ right! I love old Burgundies, and they seem to last much longer than many (US) critics would have us believe, but for instance, d’Angerville’s 06 Clos des Ducs, I figured around 2019/2020, do you think that’s reasonable?
    And for a poor soul who cannot afford Musigny, let alone de Vogue, do you think his 06 Chambolle 1e gives you a decent idea of ‘the real thing’ or is it just too expensive (bit like buying Bordeaux 1e Cru second wines hoping for the big brother taste..)?
    thanks, adrian
    ps bummer, I did fork out for a Clavoillons and Bienvenues from Leflaive!

  5. billn13th January 2009 at 9:18 pmPermalinkReply

    @Adrian Latimer – I would say that for a single bottle of Clos des Ducs, 2019/2020 sounds eminently sensible. The reality is (imho) that most wines will drink best in their first 18 months after bottling and are then destined to be consumed/sacrificed in their difficult ‘middle’ years – no wonder so many find burgundy a minefield! To illustrate I had a magnum of Clos des Ducs 1982 about 4 years ago (so it was well over 20 years old) – plenty of tannin and a mix of mature and fruit-driven flavours – so not yet fully mature – but be aware that ‘mature’ is not everyone’s cup of tea, and 6 months old is ‘fine, thank-you very much’!

    The drawback to waiting is that you need decent storage, and for goodness’s sake don’t try working out the NPV cost after 20 years!

    Re de Vogüé’s 06 Chambolle 1er – it’s the one I would buy!
    Bill
    PS Sorry for that, maybe they will improve in bottle – anyway, it’s only my opinion……!

  6. Adrian Latimer14th January 2009 at 10:26 amPermalinkReply

    thanks, makes sense to me! I am happy to wait… Was served a Faiveley Clos des Corton 96 last night which was lovely but only just about ready and I’d guess good (better) for at least 10 years hence…and with Burgundy I’d never try work out the NPV!!

  7. Toby Cutler19th February 2009 at 12:32 pmPermalinkReply

    Hi Bill,

    Sorry, completely unrelated to the above thread but…

    I recently saw a bottle of Sylvain Cathiard Vosne En Orveaux 2005 for sale in a store so I purchased immediately but having looked on the Vosne map on the site, can’t seem to find the vineyard. Is it actually a blend of Premier cru grapes?

    Thanks in advance..

    • billn19th February 2009 at 1:26 pmPermalinkReply

      Hi Toby – the vineyard is indeed a 1er and is in the village of Flagey which is north of Vosne-Romanée, but classed as VR. The vines are next to the grand cru of Echézeaux

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