2006 Echézeaux Grand Cru

"Two thousand seven was a difficult year in the vines but an easy year to vinify," said Marie-Andree Mugneret, who was clearly pleased at the quality of the fruit as well as the freshness of aromas following the elimination of up to 15% of the crop at harvest time. "It's a classic of pure pinot noir," she went on, "but without pretensions to greatness." The 2006s are a bit denser here. Or, as her sister Marie-Christine Mugneret put it, "serve the 2006s with cheese and the 2007s with meat." (A Peter Vezan selection, imported by North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; Ideal Wine & Spirits, Medford, MA; and The Stacole Company, Boca Raton, FL)

The Mugneret sisters cut off a lot of rotten grapes in early September, then eliminated another 2% to 7% of the berries on a sorting table at the harvest, which they carried out in a quick four days. They chaptalized the wines a bit to prolong the fermentations. According to Marie-Andree, the 2006s "really expanded after the malos, but we could really see the fruit from the outset." It will be interesting to compare this set of wines to the estate's 2004s a decade hence, as the 2004s here were particularly successful for the vintage. (A Peter Vezan selection, imported by North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; Vintner Select, Cincinnati, OH; Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; The Stacole Company, Boca Raton, FL)