2006 Bonnes Mares

Strawberry and black raspberry lead in the nose of the Groffier 2006 Bonnes Mares, with herbal pungency typical for this site combining with black pepper, wood smoke, and resin for a high-strung, energetic palate and tenacious finish with the savage persistence of a sharply-toothed wild animal. This lean, brightly-penetrating expression of its cru should be given 3-4 years in the bottle and ought then to reward 6-8 more. It will be interesting to see whether in the process – in addition to settling down – it might fill out and become yet more complex. Serge Groffier mentions both the fat of 2000 and the structure of 2001 in connection with this wine, but for now, I do not find the former. The 2006 Groffier collection – from fruit picked beginning September 23, and in only four days – was noticeably lower in alcohol than a number of recent predecessors, and was diminished by one-third vis-a-vis 2005, after botrytis- and hail-affected berries had been culled. A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93, also imported by Atherton Imports, Menlo Park, CA; sales@awiwine.com

Good bright, dark red. Briary blueberry nose shows a captivating crushed-fruit urgency. Wonderfully energetic and pure in the mouth, with pristine flavors of cassis and blueberry. Extremely primary wine-and more powerful than the 2007. Finishes with firm but fine tannins and palate-saturating perfume.

Ruby-red. Sappy aromas of wild blueberry, blackberry and spices. Pure primary crushed dark berries in the mouth, with a violet note and a whiff of black pepper sharpening the flavors. The resounding, impressively long finish shows a rather muscular peppery quality and a flavor of licorice.