2006 Criots Batard Montrachet

Impressively, this is even more complex though distinctly less elegant and refined with a very fresh and layered nose of very ripe orchard and slightly exotic fruit to include notes of mango, papaya and coconut that complement the tautly muscled and powerful big-bodied flavors that detonate like a vinous bomb on the palate staining finish. There is dry extract to burn here and this provides plenty of aromatic fireworks of its own plus more size, weight and depth as well. A knockout Criots.

From a new barrique: Peach and nut oil on the expressive nose. Wonderfully rich and concentrated, with sexy flavors of stone fruits, spicy oak and nut oil. Finishes very long and sweet. A second sample, from a once-used 350-liter barrel: More lemony citricity to go with the wine's spice character. More inner-palate energy too. There are just these two barrels of this grand cru.

Boillot's 2006 Criots-Batard-Montrachet is expansive and rich yet infectiously juicy and exhilarating in its energy and grip, as well as possessed of singular concentration. White peach, crushed stone, narcissus, blond tobacco, lemon, and nut oils all contribute to the superb sense of complexity on display here. I would anticipate at least a decade's further fascination from this, a wine unfortunately almost as uncommon (at around 60 cases) as it uncommonly good. ||Henri Boillot's ambitious and burgeoning negociant arm is made up in large part of many small bottling lots, representing remarkably many of the Cote d-Or's most prestigious crus. -Precision and minerality- are words he offers to explain his intentions even in a vintage as ripe as 2006, and for the most part he walks the accompanying walk, with wines (largely assembled in tank) that showed more generously and expressively than did Boillot's estate wines on the same day. Wine Advocate.December, 2008