2006 Chapelle Chambertin

A machine oil-like sweet smokiness and not doubt borderline reductive aroma to Bouchard's 2006 Chapelle-Chambertin is complimented by a dense, nutty, smoky, sappily black fruited palate, underlain by a combination of tannic and mineral suggestions that put me in mind of iron filings. I'd like to see more primary juiciness to the finish here, but this is amply ripe and structured as well as reductively tight, and I expect it will perform well for 4-6 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