2006 Pommard Les Rugiens

While a village offering was somewhat rough and drying, and an otherwise promising Pezerolles seemed – at least at this early stage – a bit swamped by its 100% new oak, the Potel 2006 Pommard Rugiens is impressively rich in game and dark berries, underlain by a peaty, peppery mineral substrate typically associated with these iron-rich soils. A formidable wine in the context of its vintage – in its alcoholic body as well as its tannin – only time will tell whether it becomes overbearing or broods all the way into senility. I would plan to revisit in 2010 or 2011, though I cannot rule out that the Potel Pommards were for intrinsic reasons having a collectively bad day when I tasted. Drying tannins or overt woodiness are certainly not threats in this particular bottling. Nicolas Potel consistently favors promoting ripeness at low potential alcohol and consistently eschews chaptalization. He is also a fan of freshness and clarity in Pinot, while maintaining notably low levels of sulfur. A vintage where a significant share of fruit came in near or above 14% potential alcohol and was shadowed by botrytis was thus a challenge, which seems to have been selectively well met. (For more on the style and methods associated with Maison Nicolas Potel – whose wines are sourced from a mixture of contract fruit and purchased juice – consult my report in issue 171.) Despite the huge number of 2006s I tasted here, incidentally, they did not represent the entire Potel vintage collection. In May, 2009, Potel left the negociant firm that bears his name (and which belongs to the Cottin brothers, owners of Laboure-Roi) to devote himself entirely to his own domaine and negociant operation, Maison Roche de Bellene, which crushed its first grapes with the 2007 vintage (in part from Potel holdings that were showcased in Maison Potel bottlings of vintages 2005 and 2006). Long-time cellarmaster Fabrice Lesne has now assumed direction of Maison Potel. By the way, suggested retail prices for the 2006s here took a sharp downturn vis-a-vis those for the 2005s, an occurrence worth noting for its rarity. (That said, of course the effective, eventual retail prices for all 2006s have turned on market factors that transcended cellar door prices, let alone the parameters envisioned by national importers). Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700