2006 Chambolle Musigny

Ripe dark cherry and black raspberry; cinnamon and mace; wet stone and fresh raw meat mark the nose of Chateau de Chambolle's 2006 Chambolle-Musigny, which displays invigorating freshness and chew of fruit skin, polished texture, and lift on the palate, all of which turn out to be vintage-typical at this address. Cherry pit bitterness and subtle chalkiness mingle with the bright fruit and savory meatiness in a lingering finish both soothing and stimulating. This should delight over at least the next 4-6 years. When asked what he had done differently in 2006 when compared with 2005, Frederic Mugnier replied, "Nothing. I want the character of the vintage to be reflected in the wine as much as the terroir, so I try to hold everything else as constant as possible." While that statement might reflect a bit of hyperbole, it's hard to argue with a collection like Mugnier's 2006s, its wines reflective of their vintage, yet the best of them not really dramatically different from their 2005 counterparts. Certainly they are no less profoundly delicious, and will give more pleasure sooner. (For some details on Mugnier methodology, consult my report in issue 170.) Picking began here ahead of the ban de vendange, "at absolutely the same levels of sugar as in 2005" – meaning at 12.75-14% potential alcohol – although Mugnier hastens to note that it was only well along in the evolution of this collection – and to his surprise – that its ability to hold its own qualitatively with some of the great vintages at his estate became evident. "There wasn't much hail," he relates, "and only in a few sectors did we have to perform serious triage," which chez Mugnier – as at Rousseau – means in the vineyard, not on sorting tables. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet; fax 011-333-80-24-29-70