2006 Echezeaux

The Arnoux 2006 Echezeaux smells of sassafras, aromatic woods, candied cherry, and game. The bittersweet fruit and herb flavors on the palate here emphasize bitterness, which along with a wet stone suggestion of things mineral and a more obvious grain of tannin than possessed by most of Lachaux's 2006s makes for a relatively austere overall impression. This is a wine of palate-staining intensity and formidable grip, but will it refine itself, reveal nuance, and become less dour over time? One should certainly plan on giving it 3-4 years in bottle before auditioning, at which point I am sure that another 6-8 years of good health will remain; the question is how much intrigue or sensual allure? This is comparable to the 2005 in quality, but surprisingly (in the context of these two Arnoux collections), it is the 2005 that in this instance possesses greater clarity, subtlety, and refinement, whereas the 2006 exhibits more sheer concentration and more obvious structure. Pascal Lachaux – who subscribes to the prevalent notion that this vintage reflects elements of 2000 and 2002 – is one of the very few red Burgundy growers (Rouget another) whose 2006s strike me as outclassing their 2005s. It's possible that his having had a prior vintage to become accustomed to the opportunities afforded by his spacious new, gravity flow cellar contributed to his success this year. And it's of course also possible that I have under- or over-rated one of these vintages. Lachaux – who defends 2005 as one of his best-ever collections – concurs in finding each 2006 typical for its site as well as more expressive than his 2005s have thus far been, and in the observation that these 2006s improve as they open to the air, suggesting to me considerable longer-term cellaring potential than one can expect from most wines of the vintage. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990