Le Montrachet, Grand Cru, Marquis de Laguiche, 2006

The 2006 Montrachet Marquies de Laguiche (about to be bottled when I tasted it) is predictably richer and creamier than the other wines in Drouhins 2006 collection, but also more penetrating, vibrant, and thought-provoking. White peach, nut oils, bittersweet hyacinth and iris floral notes, along with hints of wet stone and bitter notes of fruit pit that compliment its sense of sweet ripeness, make for an exceptionally complex and harmonious whole, whose layering reflects the eight surgical passes over this vineyard that constituted its 2006 harvest. Even here, there is a relatively obvious toasty, spicy note of oak, but it is well-integrated into the long, enveloping finish. No doubt this will evolve fascinatingly over the coming decade. The Drouhins started early but picked with a level of meticulousness and at a moderate tempo that most growers did not feel they could afford this vintage. Lees contact was passive and the wines were bottled relatively early. The results are universally rich and accessible, the best wines being those that manage to retain clarity and a measure of vivacity as well as to stand up to their components of new wood. Drouhin has tight viticultural control over the numerous parcels that inform their village level wines, even though most of them are not owned. Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818 0770