en primeur > burgundy 2006 > vintage report
Vintage Report
burgundy 2006
"I fully expect the better 2006s to give more drinking pleasure over the next ten years than the 2005s. 2006 is a year for the real Burgundy drinker." Stephen Tanzer, November 2007
The above quote really does get to the heart of Burgundy 2006. Nearly all the wines we tasted on our buying trip back in November we would be more than happy to see on a table in the not so distant future. Like great dinner guests, they were just so damn charming. And the very best wines are truly terrific with classic Burgundian class, poise and elegance. 2006 has produced wines that will deliver a serious amount of pleasure and enjoyment - and crucially, you won't have to wait for Halley's Comet to reappear before you can enjoy them. Many of the lesser wines are almost good to go already.
The Bibendum Lowdown
- The Cote de Beaune whites are the stars of the vintage. They have immense richness but soaring acidity too. There's loads of concentration but bags of freshness. Meursault, Chassagne and Puligny are uniformly excellent. Great Bourgogne Blanc too.
- Nuits, Vosne and Chambolle are the stars of the Cote de Nuits reds and there is true quality here.
- Unfashionable villages are well worth a look at: St-Aubin, Savigny and Pernand-Vergelesses to name just three.
- As usual, the top wines are in very limited quantities. 2006 was not a bumper harvest. Please be quick if you have your eye on something specific.
- Read our blog to find out exactly what we got up to in Burgundy on our trip
Follow Your Nose: 3 Things You Already Knew About Burgundy But Hold Especially True In 2006
1. Good Growers Make Good Wine. If you are already a fan of an Arnoux, Grivot or Matrot, for example, then stick with them. The best growers always produce the goods whatever the vintage; think of them as mini-brands you can instinctively rely on. Here's Steve Tanzer again: "Burgundy lovers who generally buy and cellar the same favorite wines from the same high-quality producers in most vintages should not hesitate to follow this strategy in 2006."
2. Burgundy is for Drinking with Good Food. A good bottle of Burgundy is best drunk with friends around a table with a plateful of cote de veau or jambon persille. The 2006s will shine on the dinner table over the medium-term. Stock up now and enjoy the benefits while you wait for older vintages to come round.
3. Burgundy is Not All About Power and Points. Unlike that other French wine region beginning with B, the best Burgundies are not all about concentration, oak and power but delicacy, charm and finesse. This sums up the 2006 reds to a tee.