2006 Vosne Romanee Les Hautes Maizieres

From just south of the lieu-dit Quartiers de Nuits that somewhat paradoxically straddles village Vosne and grand cru Echezeaux, and immediately east of the Clos St. Denis portion of the latter cru, the Arnoux 2006 Vosne Romanee Hautes Mazieres offers aromas of ripe cassis, blackberry, musk, and game. This displays the combination of soothing creaminess with subtle invigoration on the palate that lend charm to so many 2006s, and suggestions of dark chocolate, star anise, humus, and black pepper add genuine, village-typical intrigue to its long, dynamic finish. This will prove lovely to follow for at least the next 5-7 years. Pascal Lachaux – who subscribes to the prevalent notion that this vintage reflects elements of 2000 and 2002 – is one of the very few red Burgundy growers (Rouget another) whose 2006s strike me as outclassing their 2005s. It's possible that his having had a prior vintage to become accustomed to the opportunities afforded by his spacious new, gravity flow cellar contributed to his success this year. And it's of course also possible that I have under- or over-rated one of these vintages. Lachaux – who defends 2005 as one of his best-ever collections – concurs in finding each 2006 typical for its site as well as more expressive than his 2005s have thus far been, and in the observation that these 2006s improve as they open to the air, suggesting to me considerable longer-term cellaring potential than one can expect from most wines of the vintage. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990