2006 Bourgogne Cuvee de Noble Souche

Mortet says the vines informing his 2006 Bourgogne Cuvee De Noble Souche sit on a plateau northwest of Dijon that is generally windy and thus discourages rot. (It's also a site on whose development soil guru Claude Bourguignon is consulting.) Black raspberry and plum with prominent tartness of their skins inform a delicate and refreshing but also silken-textured palate, while floral perfume wafts throughout. Hints of brown spices add to the appeal of a buoyant, soothing, yet stimulating finish. It's again clear that this site (according to Mortet, the sole remaining vineyard in Daix) is special. I see no reason, though – other than sheer curiosity – to hold bottles of this for more than 2-3 years. For his first entirely solo vintage, Arnaud Mortet was saddled with a load of challenges, most notably the legacy of hail in so many of his vineyards. His reaction was to back off on extraction and new wood, trends which he seems inclined to continue pursuing even in less tricky vintages. He opines that the "acid structure" of his 2006s – which are also amply endowed with largely fine-grained tannins – will help them age well. Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400