2006 Nuits St Georges Les Chaignots

Like other wines in this year's Gouges collection, their 2006 Nuits-St.-Georges Chaignots possesses a lovely, deep, purple-edged color that projects confidence for the future. Scents of sandalwood, dark berries, praline, and nutmeg lead to an even finer-grained, more silken, buoyant palate than exhibited by the corresponding village wine. A subtle sense of creaminess and complimentary notes of stone and bitter fruit pit emerge as this opens to the air, and it finishes with purity and refinement. Here is yet another drink-it-now or enjoy-it-six-or-more-years-from-now 2006. To hear Christian Gouges tell – and, indeed, to taste the wines – there was nothing terribly problematic about 2006 or exceptional about his approach to it; he considers his (in the context of this vintage) relatively low finished alcohols of 12.5-13% ideal; and he says the wines all clarified beautifully without fining or filtration. I find the denser, more structured 2005s here are completely routed by the 2006s' charm offensive, though perhaps a return engagement half a dozen or more years from now will prove a fairer fight. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802