2006 Griotte Chambertin

Claude Dugat claims that his 2006 Griotte-Chambertin was not very heavily hit by hail, as its course was capricious even within this small, almost perfectly square cru. Dark cherry, peat, iodine, and licorice practically assault the nose and then the palate, where a dark, dense, impression is backed by abundant yet fine-grained and well-integrated tannins. One really tastes the impression of high skin to juice ratio here, and the finish clings tenaciously like a resinous, medicinal Chambertin sap. Like the corresponding Charmes, this imposing though certainly not charming cru would benefit from 4-5 years' aging, although one is less likely to be disappointed by its performance earlier on. I would imagine it rewarding a dozen or more years' total bottle maturation. "I like the 2006s a lot for their very Pinot character, their elegance, and the expression of their respective terroirs," says Claude Dugat, echoing the sentiment expressed by a great many growers about this vintage, and adding that his crop's potential alcohol levels were significantly lower than in 2005. That said, richness and robustness nearly always seem to be in the cards at this address, and in fact the 2006 collection displays formidable density and tanninity, the latter at times reinforced by the effects of new wood. Dugat admits – again, echoing the observation of numerous growers – that his 2006s put on weight and structure in the course of elevage. (The suggested pricing I received for these wines seemed implausibly high, incidentally, and I tempered it in response to spot-checking. But it should be noted that market prices for these wines are both especially high and highly variable.) Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083