Tasting Notes
Robert Parker 93-94
The 2006 Montrachet Marquies de Laguiche (about to be bottled when I tasted it) is predictably richer and creamier than the other wines in Drouhin’s 2006 collection, but also more penetrating, vibrant, and thought-provoking. White peach, nut oils, bittersweet hyacinth and iris floral notes, along with hints of wet stone and bitter notes of fruit pit that compliment its sense of sweet ripeness, make for an exceptionally complex and harmonious whole, whose layering reflects the eight surgical passes over this vineyard that constituted its 2006 harvest. Even here, there is a relatively obvious toasty, spicy note of oak, but it is well-integrated into the long, enveloping finish. No doubt this will evolve fascinatingly over the coming decade. The Drouhins started early but picked with a level of meticulousness and at a moderate tempo that most growers did not feel they could afford this vintage. Lees contact was passive and the wines were bottled relatively early. The results are universally rich and accessible, the best wines being those that manage to retain clarity and a measure of vivacity as well as to stand up to their components of new wood. Drouhin has tight viticultural control over the numerous parcels that inform their village level wines, even though most of them are not owned. Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818 0770
Vinous 88
The 2006 Montrachet Grand Cru immediately set off alarm bells due to the darker-than-expected color. Personally, I did not find this to be a case of premature oxidation, but just a wine that has matured too quickly and perhaps contained a little botrytis. Lemon curd, honey and melted butter on the slightly smudged nose. The palate is rich and decadent but missing a sense of precision and mineralite. A nice Chardonnay rather than a decent Montrachet. Admittedly, it does develop more breeding with aeration, but the finish seems more like a mature Chenin Blanc. Tasted at the Montrachet vertical in London.
