2006 Domaine Dujac Chambertin Grand Cru

Coming 80% from the Clos de Beze, Dujac's 2006 Chambertin smells spectacularly of rose, violet, and licorice; confiture of red and black berry fruits; and smoky, machine oil-like mineral scents. On the palate, this makes a definitive case for the ability of great Burgundian Pinot to display enormous flavor concentration – in this instance I have the impression of sheer Pinot sap – while exhibiting lift, elegance, and transparency to floral, mineral, and animal nuances. Come to think of it, this is like a gorgeous piece of amber whose fossilized contents have come to life. A metaphorical space is cleared here in which the wine's myriad elements can openly, seductively, and kaleidoscopically cavort. I can't imagine the energy here flagging for 12-15 years. Jeremy Seysses only destemmed a minority of his 2006 fruit, and in some appellations none. The results demonstrate that Dujac got things ripe – not to mention right – in a challenging vintage, with a collection that need not fear comparison with 2005 at this address. (Perhaps, if anything, 2005 ought to look to its laurels!) The team here started picking only on September 23, and then very meticulously and selectively. Clos de la Roche, for example, was picked in two passes nearly a week apart. The top wines came in at between 13 and 13.5% natural alcohol, with minimal chaptalization employed in some instances to extend fermentation. "Color and flavor extraction was easy," says Seysses, "and we did more punch-downs than in 2005, because we felt quite confident of our material. The fruit is fresh and crisp, but not green, and we had no jamminess. It was just right. There's very little to complain about." Indeed! Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724