2006 Domaine Jacques Prieur Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

Reduced to a mere 20 hectoliter per hectare, the Prieur 2006 Clos Vougeot features charred meat, blackberry, cherry pit, and high-toned herbal concentrate. The combination of natural tanninity and new wood seems to have combined for the slight sense of roughness engendered here, but this finishes with formidable penetration and palate-staining, bitter-sweet grip. The familiar thesis espoused by Gublin and by Martin Prieur is that the woodiness will "melt away" with time, but I would reserve judgment about that. Certain though, this is likely to be worth following for at least 8-10 years, and recovery from assemblage and bottling (which had not yet taken place when I last tasted) might well permit the wine to open up. 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