2006 Savigny Les Beaune La Dominode

From vines planted in 1902, the Clair 2006 Savigny-Les-Beaune La Dominode is powerful and concentrated by any standards, and particularly by those of its vintage. Smoked meat; dark cherry and blackberry; and medicinal herbal extract and iodine, all put me in mind of the 2005, as do the formidable but finely-grained tannins. As it took on air, this latest rendition of a consistently remarkable wine revealed more mineral intrigue and dynamic, interactive complexity. It is not interested in charming you, and it would be wise to rest bottles for 2-3 years before revisiting, but count on at least a decade of fascination. Bruno Clair and cellar master Philippe Brun have a battery of 1,500 liter upright fermentation casks as well as larger ovals, which permit more wines to depart small barrels sooner but not have to go into tanks. And in 2006 (or for that matter 2007), they concurred that preservation of fruit and preventing the wood from drying it out were paramount considerations. (In fact, the Marsannay cuvees were still not yet bottled when I last tasted them in the Spring of 2008.) Picking here, by the way, lasted from September 23 through October 4, and the results certainly speak emphatically for themselves. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802