The willingness to declassify their Chambertin into a 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru certainly testifies to Domaine Jacques Prieur's quality-consciousness. But in view of the results when I tasted them just prior to bottling – not to mention given the pathetic yields left by hail and consequent severe triage – I wonder whether that was the best course. Wood smoke, dried cherries, rhubarb, and white pepper make for a pungent nose and sweet-tart palate. There is a certain satisfying sense of meaty depth here to be sure, but leathery and black tea notes in the finish fit the slight rusticity and chew of tannin. I would want to see how this comes through its bottling and then look for signs that it can deal with its tannin in another couple of years before I'd venture either a strong recommendation or a prognosis for further bottle-aging.
Enologist Nadine Gublin reports that the Prieur team performed a severe triage of 2006 Pinot – especially from the Cote de Beaune – both in the vineyards and on tables. The fine results speak for themselves, boasting (with one exception) purity of fruit and complexity, as well as a range of distinctively 2006 virtues. Their Chambertin – which, like the wine from their other grand crus, had been assembled but not yet bottled when I last tasted them – presented a special challenge due to the degree to which the Prieur parcels were damaged by hail, and a decision was made to declassify even the small amount of fruit that was vinified. The Pinot crop was harvested at 12.5-13.5% potential alcohol; required no adjustment; and was all destemmed. The wines were (or will for the most part have been) lightly plaque-filtered.
Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700
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