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A very good vintage in white and surprisingly good in the reds

When we went to taste the 2006s, we were expecting excellent whites, since the growers were already excited about them immediately after the harvest, suggesting they were a significant step up on the 2005s, but we were not at all sure how good the reds could be given the summer of 2006, which, after a hot July, had been dull and cold for much of August. However, the reds came as a very pleasant surprise. Ripe and juicy, they have very clean and pure fruit, as well as the marvellous definition of precise fruit and vineyard character. As Nicolas Rossignol said "It tastes like a sunny vintage" - an extraordinary result from such a cold season and a great compliment to the new generation of quality-conscious growers and their meticulous selection in vineyard and winery.

September was warm, allowing plenty of time to wait for the reds to ripen fully. For the whites it was a slightly different story, with botrytis spreading in many vineyards, it was necessary to pick quickly to keep the freshness and acidity - although a little botrytis can give a welcome addition of richness to the white wines. Having said that, Remi Jobard was keen to point out that he really did not have a problem with acidity, and that his vines were also only very slightly affected by botrytis. "We have not used any fertiliser since 1994, and the vineyard is grassed over, and with cordon training the yields are naturally limited and the bunches well-spread - so I picked when I felt we had reached the optimum point." His wines are more backward than many at this stage because he likes to take his time with the elevage, but they have an exceptional depth and ageing potential.

A brooding sky over Meursault		The Jobards' stone refuge in the middle of les Genevrieres

The reds then are "classic" - it's a normal Burgundy vintage rather than an abnormal one. But this is not to quite give them their due, because they are so sunny, lucid and attractive as well. Yves Confuron said he found them to be "2001 going towards 2002 - more tannins but less severe, but with more conviviality." Bernard Dugat described them as "very, very good, real harmony of fruit", while Anne Gros was quietly ecstatic about her 2006s - "the most smiling and gracious wines I have ever made."

The whites are varied in style but of high quality throughout. Steven Spurrier's blog about our press tasting from www.decanter.com gives an idea "First off was their habitual Chablis grower, Adhemar et Francois Boudin, whose 2000 1er Cru Fourchaume I served for my daughter's wedding in 2003 and whose 2006 doesn't have quite the length, but is terrific value at £105 in bond.
Then a range of wines from Verget and I find that Jean-Marie Guffens is lightening his touch, or maybe just the vintage has offered finesse without concentration. His Pouilly-Fuisse Terroirs de Vergisson La Roche (£145) was splendid and his own domaine Guffens-Heynen Macon Pierreclos were in another league altogether, but also another price range at £220. If you want a fresh yet succulent domaine bottle Pouilly-Fuisse, go for Daniel Barraud's Vieilles Vignes at £140.
From the Côte-Chalonnaise, a fine Givry 1er Cru from Francois Lumpp (£145) led up to a very pretty, minerally Hautes Côtes de Nuits Cuvee Marine from Anne Gros (£135) that I plan to be drinking this summer.
Then brilliant Saint-Aubins from Hubert Lamy... Very elegant Chassagne-Montrachets from Fernand & Laurent Pillot, Les Morgeots being well-priced at £210 and the very long Les Grandes Ruchottes worth the extra at £275. Two Meursault-based Jobard domaines followed, with Remi Jobard's Les Genevrieres £395) getting the edge from me over Jobard-Chabloz's Les Charmes (£325), the house style of the former having great vineyard depth and energy. Domaine Henri Germain kept the Meursault flag flying with his fabulous Les Charmes (£350). Jean-Marc Boillot's Pulignys were really lovely, some of the very best of the week, with 1er Cru Champ-Canet being top flight (£395).
Henri Boillot took the Puligny prize, though, with his dense and complex 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchere' (a monopole) and his Les Pucelles..."

“the 2006 is a very good to excellent vintage that is not far behind 2005 in quality”, Allen Meadows, Burghound.com

Some of the wines in this list are only available in tiny quantities and may have to be allocated. We have not listed the wines of Domaine Anne Gros and Domaine Bernard Dugat-Py since the quantities are too small to deal with in this way. We will start by offering them to last year's buyers, but if you are interested it is worth letting us know.

Charles Lea