2006 Echezeaux

From the micro-climatically distinct and highly-favored Champs Treversins section of that sprawling cru (with the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti as neighbors), the Prieur 2006 Echezeaux offers one of those examples where this vintage will give 2005 more than a run for its money's worth. Deep, sweetly-ripe cherry and roasted meat are accented with musk oil, iodine, and cherry pit. This is almost implosively intense – threatening a sense of severity - yet it's fine-grained, and carries a sense of energy and lift into its long, savory, mineral-inflected, dynamically complex finish. The overall tone is dark, but an abundance of primary fruit juiciness is proof against austerity. Enologist Nadine Gublin reports that the Prieur team performed a severe triage of 2006 Pinot – especially from the Cote de Beaune – both in the vineyards and on tables. The fine results speak for themselves, boasting (with one exception) purity of fruit and complexity, as well as a range of distinctively 2006 virtues. Their Chambertin – which, like the wine from their other grand crus, had been assembled but not yet bottled when I last tasted them – presented a special challenge due to the degree to which the Prieur parcels were damaged by hail, and a decision was made to declassify even the small amount of fruit that was vinified. The Pinot crop was harvested at 12.5-13.5% potential alcohol; required no adjustment; and was all destemmed. The wines were (or will for the most part have been) lightly plaque-filtered. Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700