2006 Bouchard Pere & Fils Nuits St Georges Les Damodes 1er Cru

The lean red meatiness, pungent spices, and chalkiness that accent the fruit of Bouchard's 2006 Nuits St.-Georges Les Damodes seem to reflect that cru's position between Nuits St.-Georges and Vosne. This is from contract fruit, which probably accounts for its faintly drying tannins and slightly less pure fruit than exhibited by the best Bouchard 2006s. I would be disinclined to hold it for longer than three years. Director Philippe Prost emphasized the importance of flexible and surgical picking (with a crew numbering upwards of 300) and getting his crop to Bouchard's battery of presses within two hours via a fleet of mini-vans. He insists that relatively little triage was necessary on the domaine vineyards (as opposed to those under contract) and the estate wines are certainly predictably stronger as a group. (I have generally mentioned in the notes that follow which wines are from Bouchard's domaine and which from contract fruit, but have explicitly noted this as part of a wine's description, only if there are two versions of the same appellation within the present portfolio.) The fruit was crushed very gently and the wines racked only once – at 10-14 months, than usual – explains Prost, in order to guard against exposed or drying tannins, a policy which my tastings suggest was generally successful. Importer: Henriot, Inc, New York, NY; tel. (212) 605-6767