2006 Volnay Champans

Last tasted as an approximation to the final assemblage from cask (one-third new), the Lafon 2006 Volnay Champans (from mostly very old vines) brims with bright, sappy red currant and red raspberry; carries faintly but nobly fungal as well as forest floor notes onto the palate; and finishes with an enticing, penetratingly persistent layering of fresh fruit, mineral, animal elements, a hint of white pepper adding to the impression of invigoration. This should be worth hanging onto for another couple of years before opening but I still expect it will be best enjoyed within half a dozen. Dominique Lafon picked his 2006 Pinots only in the last days of September and then – like most of his colleagues – took pains to extract and to handle the young wines very gently so as to emphasize fruit. "I don't like to carry grey rot in the picking boxes," says Lafon, "so the first selection of botrytis was done by the pickers in the vineyard, and then we finished on the sorting table." He estimates that there was at most 10-15% tainted fruit, with some parcels largely rot-free. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet (various importers), fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70; A Daniel Johnnes Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY, tel. (516) 677 9300; Classic Wine Imports, Norwood, MA, tel. (781) 352 1100; Beaune Imports, Berkeley, CA, tel. (510) 559 1040