2006 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru

Bouchard began harvesting its chardonnay on September 18, but waited three more days before beginning the pinot harvest in Volnay Caillerets and Beaune Greves. According to winemaker Philippe Prost, there were no problems with rot in the estate vineyards, as the team pulled leaves in mid-July and also kept the cluster counts down. Although cluster weights were higher than those of 2005, they were still in the modest 100 to 105 gram range, and no saignee was done in 2006. Prost told me that the team eliminated some rotten and green grapes, as well as some dried grapes in hail-affected vineyards like Clos de Beze and Chapelle-Chambertin. He crushed the fruit only gently, which he says allows for a longer, "quieter" alcoholic fermentation and helps to avoid bitterness at the end of the macerations. Ultimately, said Prost, the wines are generally very healthy, clean and fresh, with good color and good acidity, and tannins that are a bit drier than those of 2005. "What some wines are missing is a bit of texture and concentration," he said. "The hierarchy of vineyards is very important in terms of richness and complexity."