2005 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru

Here's a classic example of an estate where 100% whole-cluster fermentation resulted in a particularly strong and interesting set of 2005s. Estate manager/winemaker Olivier Leriche destemmed more than usual in 2006-about 60% on average, but with a couple of notable exceptions. But yields were very low (averaging around 25 hectoliters per hectare) and grape sugars were healthy (all between 12.8% and 13.7%), and he did very little chaptalization in '06. Like a number of his colleagues, Leriche believes that the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges fared especially well in 2006, due to the small crop (a function of small clusters), lower rainfall totals and the good fortune to escape the hail. Leriche describes the new set of wines as "more classic to their terroir." In comparison, he went on, "2005 is a bit scorched by the power of the vintage." (A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; also imported by Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA and Ex-Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA)

Technical director Olivier Leriche had some big news on the evening of our tasting: he will be taking over the management of this estate, owned by the French insurance group AXA, as of the end of 2006, as long-time manager Jean-Pierre de Smet is retiring from the position. Leriche told me that the estate harvested early in 2005, beginning with white grapes on September 12, and then stopping a bit to allow for more regular ripeness of the pinot. He vinified 100% whole clusters (in 2004 he had retained only about 30% whole clusters), explaining that owing to the strength and ripeness of material in 2005 he could extract without the risk of throwing the wines off balance. Due to the whole-cluster fermentations, the malos finished by January of 2006, and the wines were racked between January and July. There are some superb cuvees here in 2005.