2006 Latricieres Chambertin

Only the small portion of fruit from young vines within his parcel was de-stemmed for Bize's 2006 Latricieres-Chambertin, which establishes a gamey, meaty tone already in the nose, along with aromas of rose hip and smoky black tea. Fundamentally dark and brooding – so, to that extent not terribly far removed from its Savigny stable mates – this boasts impressive density and a sinewy sense of tannic structure and positive "chew" to its black fruits and roasted meat flavors. This should be most interesting to follow – for the few who can afford it – over the next half dozen or more years. Patrick Bize and Guillaume Bott picked largely in the last days of September, taking into account the need for 10-15% of the fruit to have to be segregated and discarded. The fruit for a number of wines was entirely de-stemmed – a more rigorous practice than usual here – to mitigate greenness or bitterness of flavor. The results generally – but no always (as witness a particularly astringent Grands Liards) – preserve the clarity, and mineral intrigue that one expects at this address, although they make for a somewhat somber and low-keyed lot tonally, and do not remotely measure up to the outstanding 2005s. It should be born in mind that Bize wines from the 1980s – when there a great many more marginally ripe and rot-plagued harvests than growers or consumers have had to suffer through since – had a habit of performing remarkably well in challenging vintages once given a few years in bottle. A Becky Wassserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet, Beaune; fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70