Following a legendary performance can be a daunting and, often, less than memorable experience. The same can be said of wine vintages; some very good vintages are lost in the shadow of truly exceptional ones. All the better for the savvy wine buyer. In the most challenging vintage, the exceptional winemakers turn out some outstanding wines. This is the case with 2006 Burgundies where, as usual, the best and most thorough producers made lovely wines. More typical than 2005, 2006 produced wines of spectacular quality and clarity, wines that allow the terroir to show through. Pristine wines of marvelous purity and grace, they will be a joy to drink while you are waiting for your 2005s to be ready.
As Alain Burguet sums up, “In terms of the wines, it's an elegant and refined vintage that is about pleasure but pleasure in the classic Burgundian model of finesse and purity. I very much like the wines and after the intensity and power of the '05s, they provide a nice contrast."
Moderate reduction knocks down the nose though the mineral-infused flavors are rich, refined, supple and forward with good vibrancy and punch though the acidity here is less prominent. This is fashioned in an understated style and it's interesting that despite the lower acidity, there is a fine sense of overall balance. Allen Meadows - Burghound
Interestingly, this is more elegant. there is also a bit more ripeness here and the nose evidences both red and blue pinot fruit aromas that complement well the rich, full and sweet flavors that offer good volume and while the structure is also supple, there is more of it. The depth that I usually find with this wine finally arrives on the finish and this is lovely if a bit more forward than is typical. Sweet Spot Outstanding! Allen Meadows - Burghound
Here the nose is on the awkward side as it displays both some unintegrated wood and moderate reduction though the medium-bodied and rather serious flavors retain a fine sense of freshness and vibrancy with excellent purity of expression and seemingly buckets of minerality on the textured and primary finish that is impressively persistent. I have every confidence this will come together. Sweet Spot Outstanding Allen Meadows-Burghound
very ripe yet beautifully fresh nose offers up elegant aromas of dark berry fruit trimmed in a bit of discreet wood spice leads to mouth coating and exceptionally rich flavors that drench the palate with buckets of dry extract on the textured and velvety finish. This is a relatively big Clos St. Denis that delivers outstanding length on the powerful and very firmly structured finale. Recommended. Allen Meadows-Burghound
Moderate wood spice frames mostly red berry fruit aromas that display intense earth and underbrush notes that continue onto the big, broad-shouldered and amply concentrated flavors blessed with plenty of dry extract that buffers the very firm tannins on the structured and notably powerful finish that delivers superb length. This is a big but balanced bruiser of an effort with more than a touch of the classic youthful Clos de Vougeot austerity. Don't Miss! Allen Meadows-Burghound
This is clearly the ripest wine among these '06s with an exceptionally pretty nose of fresh red pinot fruit nuanced by notes of game, warm earth and underbrush that is also picked up on the supple, sweet and detailed flavors that possess a really lovely mouth feel on the muscled and beautifully long finish. This is not robust but it knocks on the door while keeping all the individual structural components in perfect balance. Recommended.. Outstanding! Allen Meadows - Burghound
A completely different aromatic profile is presented as here the nose is much more earth dominated with a mix of red, black and violet notes that sit atop rich, full and notably serious medium full flavors that offer excellent volume and here too a bit of wood surfaces on the youthfully austere finish. The mouth feel is quite firm yet the tannins are relatively fine. Excellent quality. Allen Meadows - Burghound
This is notably ripe with very pretty, and yet again, very pinot in character with mostly red berry fruit aromas nuanced by hints of minerality and underbrush that marry into exceptionally pure, rich, supple and round and equally minerally medium-bodied plus flavors that evidence a subtle touch of wood on the firm and slightly chewy finish. This is serious and will require up to a decade to fully reach its apogee. Allen Meadows - Burghound
