2006 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

Jacques Lardiere, who doesn't rush to judge each new vintage, seemed still to be pondering the quality of the 2006 reds in November, preferring instead simply to allow the wines to make themselves in Jadot's cold cellar. "There's a sharp quality to some of the Cote de Beaune wines," he told me, adding that the climate was more difficult in this area and that the wines were a bit awkward when they went into barrel. Still, the vintage has a good balance, he said, and there's a possibility that some 2006 cuvees, especially from the Cote de Nuits, might eventually be more successful than their counterparts from 2005, owing to the effects of some drought stress early in the '05 season. Incidentally, last fall Lardiere spoke of the importance of bottling 2005s with their energy intact, and it's exactly this quality that makes his top wines from this vintage among the stars of an outstanding year.